Little Wizard Academia
by RomanViking
Summary: What happens when a boy stumbles onto the witch academy, Luna Nova? Can someone like him join? I sure hope so, or else this would be a quick fan fiction.
1. Pilot and a Wizard

**Author's Note: It's best if you have already read the manga, or else you won't get the meaning of some of the dialogue. I promise this isn't a self insert, yaoi, harem! Baby don't hurt me.**

* * *

Bags in hand, excitement in my heart, and expectation in my mind, I walk up the steps of the magical school of Luna Nova.

My eyes keep glancing this way and that, my steps slowed, wanting to take in every little sight and glimmer.

The giant and old stone tower of the main building is truly enormous.

At the very top one could see a very bright green light, just shimmering and pulsating with power.

Is that real magic?

Not just stage magic or something from a television show, but true magic, the way it has always been for thousands of years.

Normally, I would have to be content with just reading or perhaps a website here and there, but nothing physical, that I could touch.

At least not something authentic.

But now, after years of waiting, I can finally study real magic with actual teachers.

I continue my trek, gazing and analyzing at every little nook and cranny, anything that could catch my interest, my hand practically ripped at the letter in my hand. The letter I had received in the mail about a week ago. My acceptance letter.

Entering the school, it's as if it has a different atmosphere all to itself.

This ancient building, built thousands of years before me, has an old cryptic air, almost like a trip to the doctor's office. You know what the doctor's office is and what they do, you just don't know how or any other form of details.

The magic flowing through the air is all too apparent, probably due to being in the same building that houses whatever that giant stone was. It certainly seems like I've just stepped into a whole new world, which only elevates my excitement.

I begin to wander the halls, looking for wherever the orientation room might be, if a magical school would even have one.

I honestly have no idea what I'm doing.

I merely signed up for this school, was sent an acceptance letter, and arrived, with no other information other than it's a magical school, and a good one at that.

As I continue my walk, I stumble onto a group of girls, walking in the opposite direction.

As we cross paths, I note that all the members of the group flash me either curious stares of weird looks, the both of them bearing a striking amount of confusion.

I shake this off, not really wanting to get into any potential confrontation on the first day.

Besides, they're just nameless and faceless girls. I won't see them again among the faces of all the others.

Without another thought on the matter, I keep up my stride, wanting to find the orientation room before I'm late.

I encounter another group of girls, this time themselves stopping dead in their tracts, and then entering a room adjacent to the hallway, effectively avoiding me.

I try to continue myself after this, but the more I continue my journey, the more I feel out of place.

What the heck is going on?

I need to talk to someone, anyone really, guy or girl, maybe then I won't feel so weird.

I stop another approaching girl, this one with short blonde hair, freckles, and blue eyes covered by a pair of thick glasses.

"Hello there, I am Theodore. Who might you be?" I ask, hoping to strike a conversation.

Her face instantly turned a shade of red.

"Umm...I'm Lotte."

Ok, a bit of a shy guy, but at least she's not actively avoiding me.

I'll try small talk.

"So Lotte, what brings you here to Luna Nova academy?"

She visibly starts to shake, trembling her answer

"I...I...I."

Her rather nervous attitude catches me off guard.

"I?"

"Igottogodosomething!"

And with that, the mystery girl with glasses begins to run down the hallway, leaving me in an even heavier state of confusion.

After first arriving at this school, I expected to be met by witches and wizards alike, all eager to learn and consume themselves in the vast array of magical knowledge that this school has to offer.

But instead, only groups of girls, all giving me stink eyes, hiding behind their cruel whispering and gossip was all I was greeted by.

And the only one I was able to stop, the short haired girl with huge glasses, left me in the dust, retreating from my very gaze.

Trying to brush this harsh encounter to the side, I continue my walk, hoping to find some kind of answer to my dilemma.

Maybe I can find a teacher or another staff member.

I stop my pacing as a new witch comes into contact.

She's older than all the others that I've been faced with. She also has blue hair tied in a ponytail, most of it concealed due to her witch hat.

"Excuse me, but what's going on?" I ask.

She stops her walk, gazing at me, as if confused by my very presence.

"Well now, it seems as though you're lost." She informs me, her eyes analyzing me, as if wondering as to the reason of my presence.

"I am."

"Well then, come with me." She beckons. "My name is Ms. Ursula by the way."

I follow her through the halls until we come to an office.

It is a rather big room, with bookshelves on either sides, and a desk in the middle. Behind the desk is a big window. On the desk is what looks like a snake statue coiled around a branch.

Who I can only guess is the principal is sitting behind the desk, a rather short, old woman with green hair and glasses.

"Excuse me principal, sorry for barging in, but we have a problem." said Ursula.

The principal raises an eyebrow.

"What, a problem? But it's only the first day..."

Her voice trails off as she sees me standing behind the professor.

"Ah, I see. Thank you for bringing this to my attention Ms. Ursula, you may leave now."

The professor makes a bow before exiting the room, leaving me alone with the principal.

"So boy, I assume you're from the city, then? Come to mock magic and throw tomatoes at my students?" She asks in an angry tone.

"No, I am here to enroll at Luna Nova..."

My voice trails off as she lets out a laugh.

"Enroll? At a school for young witches? But you're only a boy. What proof do you have that you are not here to cause trouble?"

I suddenly remembered my acceptance letter.

I place it on her desk, as she takes the document and begins to examine it.

"So, where and when did you get this?" She asks, still analyzing it, a hint of disbelief on her old face.

"Well, I was browsing the internet for magic, when I came across this school's website. So I signed up and a few weeks later this came in the mail."

She lets out an annoyed sigh.

"Ahhh, I keep telling Ms. Ursula to shut that site down, I knew something like this would happen…but one question young man, why do you want to attend this school?"

"Well, I've always wanted to be a wizard."

She stares at me analytically.

"Hmmmm, you know, not many people are interested in learning magic, and even fewer boys. So why do you want to become a wizard?" She asks.

I let out a slight smirk at this, the very question reminding myself of my heritage and what makes my family great.

I can't help but give my answer with a significant amount of confidence and bravado laced with each word.

"My ancestors were Romans, the masters of magic. My family, the Sempronia family, at one point ruled over the Roman Republic. Once it fell to the barbarians. My family dramatically lost power, then the witch hunt occurred. To avoid losing anyone, they stopped the practice of magic entirely. After a millennia of this, I was born. Thus, my answer to your question is, I'm here to learn what my family forgot, to rebuild them to be as powerful as they once were."

She sits their pondering, for what feels like an eternity, muttering her thoughts.

"Well that is certainly quite the tale. It reminds me of another student we have, Diana." She puts a wrinkled hand to her chin. "It is rare for a boy to want to learn magic, and no male has ever been enrolled in this school. But then again, no male has ever wanted too…"

A few more thoughts, and she gives a light smile.

"Anyways, I think with an attitude like that I might make an exception."

I give a sigh of relief.

Finally I get to become a-

"Of course this is a rather strange predicament…" The principal says. "While having no real rules against males enrolling, no male has ever wanted to. The entire school population is female, resulting in female only establishments: bathrooms, showers, nurses, even dorm rooms, have been entirely converted for use of females. Integrating you would require special rules put in place for yourself."

I groan inwardly, only now realizing what I've gotten myself into.

I knew that the magic world is largely made up of women, but I had no idea that this school was entirely composed of women!

Just what kind of rules do I have to live by?

"However, I have no time to explain such regulations, as you should go to the opening ceremony. You missed a sizable chunk thanks to our talk, but remember Theodore, it is by my grace that you have been allowed into this school in the first place. I will undoubtedly have to deal with mountains of paperwork due to this. So please, don't make me regret this."

I nod at her request and walk out of the room.

Now that I'm alone in the hallway, I really ponder my current situation.

Without any prior knowledge to this school or its happenings and little research, I signed up to the first magical academy I found. Only entering did I realize that the school and staff body is made up entirely of females, no males to speak of. While males joining the school isn't necessarily against school rules, no boy has ever signed up, and thus someone of my gender even wanting to join is seen as a taboo, an unlisted rule.

And only by the word of the principal, who I am thankful for, have I been admitted.

I can't even grasp what this school year will have to offer me, magic aside.

So where is this opening ceremony anyway?

I begin to trace my steps back to the front gate, myself assuming that its outside.

As I made my way to the front, I come across a door with a banner that reads

'Opening Ceremony'.

Huh, well I guess checking here would be a good idea.

As I push open the door, I take a look around the room, seeing that all of the students are standing in rows, all facing a single stage containing a wooden podium. I hear a speech coming from the stage.

Making my way to the back of one of the lines, I see that behind the podium is a blonde, tall, and blued eyed student whose majority speech I have seemed to miss.

"Becoming a student at this academy, the most prestigious witch academy in all of Europe, is a great honor. I thank you for your acceptance! As a representative for this year's new students, I swear…we will work hard!"

In front of me, a girl with long black hair and a ponytail begins to yawn.

I guess it was for the best that I missed out on this speech, then.

"That concludes my speech, representative for the new students, Diana Cavendish."

As she stops, a roar of applauding starts and quickly ends as a teacher, whom I recognize as Ursula, the woman who led me to the principal, takes the stage.

"Hello students of class 2014! My name is Ms. Ursula, one of the teachers on campus. We are so happy that all of you have chosen our school! I hope that you all will have a marvelous time at Luna Nova, one that you'll never forget! Now, if you would all follow me, I will lead you to the picture room. From there you will enter the next room, which contains your witch wardrobe and equipment."

With this said, Ms. Ursula then leaves her position at the stage, walking out of the room, beckoning us to follow.

We eventually enter a room that looks like a gym.

The room has huge windows too tall for me to see through.

In between each window is a beam which is adorned by a candle. The line splits off into multiple groups as we all go to a picture booth.

There are six booths in total, with three on opposite ends of each other.

I move to the closest booth, which to my enjoyment has very little people.

After a few minutes of waiting, I step to the front.

Surprisingly enough, the photo taker is not confused as to why a boy is standing in front of her. In fact she appears to be caught off guard by my look.

"Oh, don't be too surprised, Ms. Holbrooke sent a message for all staff to expect to see a male in the mix."

So that's the principal's name? Still though, I'm a bit put off.

"How exactly did every teacher find out in such a short amount of time?" I ask.

She smiles, saying one word, one word that shuts down my any currents doubts.

" _Magic_."

I nod at the simple answer.

After a few minutes of forced small talk, which was mostly her, she finally takes the picture.

With this objective done, I nod at her and go into the adjacent room.

It's a hallway with two lines of students, each ending at a professor sitting at a desk. At the right side of each of them is a stack of uniforms and wands.

I move to a line, and now that the composition of the student body is in plain sight, I begin to wonder how this year will go.

I mean I'm the only boy in this school's history.

Even if me being here is technically okay, and not against any rules, I can only wonder if the girls will get used to me around, or will I be a loner?

I'm not even sure how I'll do. I've only seen spells online, so their authenticity remains questionable, and I have only tried out a couple of them. I've never used a wand before.

Sure I used to practice in the backyard with sticks, but that's not the real deal. I've never even rode on a broom before! Do they expect me to have knowledge of the arcane arts already? Damn it, I barely looked into this school. I just saw the first magic academy and got excited.

Time passes as I ponder these thoughts, until I realize there are only three left in front of me. The one closest to me is tall, with green eyes, and reddish blonde hair with the ends up in a flair. The one in the middle is a rather plump girl with pink hair that ends in two ponytails, who seems to be eating chips. The one in front catches my eyes the most.

Interestingly, we're both around the same height, with me being only a few inches taller. We also share the same lightly tanned skin tone. However that is where the similarities end, as she has black hair that ends in a ponytail, but is also adorned with a bow. Strangely, she also seems to have a small robot on her shoulder.

As the three finish getting their uniform and hat, I move up.

Once I succeed at being first in line, only to be greeted by a woman who wears a teacher's uniform and a hat that appears to be a cross between the typical witch hat and one worn by aviators. She also speaks in a voice that makes her sound like she is battling a sore throat.

"So this is the boy wonder? You don't look like much to me."

I'm thrown off for a second by this blunt greeting.

"Why would you say that?" I ask.

"I mean look at ya, you're height is anything but intimidating. What are ya, five feet tall?"

"I'm five four."

"Oh well, you're still a pip squeak. Anyways I have a uniform, specially put together for you."

"What's so different about it?"

"Well for starters you don't get a hat, it's called a witch hat for a reason." She says, as she hands me the outfit.

I take notice that there isn't a colored belt.

"Um, how am I supposed to know who else is in my dorm?"

"You don't. What do you think this is? A badly written fanfiction? We're not putting a boy alone with two girl, too scandalous."

I didn't think that the first of these questions and statements would come from a teacher!

"Right…so I guess I have a room to myself then?"

"That's right, also ya can't have any witch in your dorm."

Well, I can tell this woman thinks that I'm nothing more than a sex freak. Whatever, I just want to be away from here.

"Right, well I best be off-"

"No kid, you forgot your wand." She says, interrupting me. "You're more worthless than I thought. How are you supposed to be a high and mighty wizard without it?!"

This girl is really trying my patience.

I grab the wand and began to walk away.

How dare she talk to someone of Roman descent like that!? Whatever I'll just go to my dorm and-

"Talent? You wanna see what talent I have right now? Alright…how about a battle with fire?"

I turn towards the sound only to see the yawning girl from the speech, and that shy girl Lotte facing off against Diana and two girls on either side of her.

"Hey, cut it out Akko!" Yells Lotte.

"It's okay! I was number one in my take-home magic course!" Says who I now know is Akko.

"You needn't bother with her, Diana. I can take care of her." The one on the right side of Diana says.

She has long black hair and eyes half closed, making her look both bored and slightly agitated.

"And I'm quite talented with flame-" The other one starts, only to be silenced by Diana.

She gives a smirk and a little laugh,

"No, I'll do it. I was the one challenged after all."

She suddenly whips out her wand and points it at Akko.

"I'll finish it in an instant."

This sets Akko off, as she screams,

"DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THIS COUNTRY GIRL!"

She then hurls a fireball at Diana.

I expect the blonde to dodge it, but instead she says

"Fufufu, what terrible manners…"

She then casts a fire spell that goes straight through Akko's spell and makes contact with the young witch.

I put my hand over my face to mask the heat, and the overwhelming brightness.

Truthfully I would of felt bad for her, had she not challenged Diana.

"Akko!" Lotte yelled.

I uncover my face only to find Akko on the ground with multiple and intense burn marks.

I wince to myself, but can't help but feel a little happy that it was her that had to take the blow and not me.

Akko's friend then quickly scoops her, up and runs out of the room yelling

"Sucy, where are you?! Suuucccyyy!"

I stand there frozen, both out of astonishment and curiosity.

The fire that should've destroyed the room, is now gone, as if nothing was ever there.

What? How is it gone? Shouldn't have that thing have set the room ablaze?

I'm cut off as I notice Diana staring at me.

A little bit out of fear due to what just transpired and myself just not knowing how to counter this, I stare back

I feel stuck in a trance within her blue eyes, until I notice her walking towards me with her two friends in tow.

"We are pleased to meet you." She greets me. "I heard that there was a boy on campus. Never would I think a male would ever be accepted at Luna Nova."

I guess it's common knowledge that this school isn't a fan of boys.

Trying not to seem foolish with my lack of knowledge, I attempt to match her politeness.

"Neither did I."

She extends her arm in a handshake.

"My name is Diana Cavendish, and who might you be?"

I take her hand, accepting the gesture.

"I'm Theodore, Theodore Sempronia."

"So Theodore, what brings you here to this academy?" She asks.

"To learn magic, same as anyone else." I say casually, wanting to try and fit myself in.

"No, I mean why are you here?"

As much as I would love to brag and share my story of Rome and the Sempronia's glory, I would much more prefer to become acquainted with my dorm room.

Besides, I have no idea if this other girl, despite her current politeness, is about barrage me with questions about my happenings here.

I finally decide on,

"I'm just a simple man, trying to make my way in the wizarding world."

That's all I say.

Silence envelops the four of us, Diana stares at me, wanting to hear more, but gets no further response.

After about thirty seconds of nothing save for the other students shuffling about, Diana finally breaks the silence.

"So that's it, hmmm? I must admit, it is strange seeing a boy mixed in with so many women, a great deal of things can go wrong. However, it's not for me to judge someone who's hardly done anything wrong yet. As representative for the new students, I welcome you to Luna Nova. I look forward to seeing how this will transpire."

She does a little bow and says,

"Good day to you, Theodore."

"You too."

As I say this, her two friends come up to me. The black haired one speaks first.

"Bye bye, by the way I'm Barbara."

The second one who has brown hair talks,

"Yeah, and I'm Hannah."

All three of them then leave.

I'll head back to my dorm and get settled in.

As I begin to make my way through the sea of students, I can only hope that they are starting to get used to my presence as I only catch a few staring at me.

I think the best thing is to act like I belong here.

The crowd dilutes, as more and more witches eventually find their dorm.

I eventually make my way to my room.

Once I open the door my eyes are drawn to a bunk bed, a regular bed on the opposite side and in the back is a desk with an alchemist table and other magical tools.

A bell tower rings in the distance as I toss my garb on the bottom bunk.

I collapse on the nearest bed, as I wonder just how this will work out.

I eventually fall asleep.

I dream of magic, great power, new adventures, a few expectations for my time here at Luna Nova.

My dream suddenly turns into a nightmare, as the smell of heat and fire engulfs my train of thoughts.

I awake to the sound of a loud boom coming from beneath me.

I run out of the room, only to see the hallway in a raging inferno, the fire blocking any chance of escape.

I rush back into my room and grab my newly claimed wand, hoping to be able to do some kind of ice magic.

I point my wand at the fire and perform a spell I read online.

Surprisingly, instead of ice, water rushes toward the fire.

I guess online spells are not as accurate as they say, but I can still use this.

After a few moments of casting, I manage to create a small pathway.

I rush through, the burnt and weakened wood giving out from under me me as I fall through the third floor, landing hard on my back.

Back to the floor, head spinning from pain and confusion, I blankly stare at the hole above me.

A few embers lightly descend from the fire, the red menace itself still blazing.

"Uhh, now can I sleep?" I manage to whisper before I lose consciousness.

* * *

A few hours later I find myself in the opening ceremony room again, with all the students. However it's not just Ursula that has the floor, three witches, two that I remember as Akko and Lotte, with another one whom I don't know.

She has long hair that covers one eye and a rather nonchalant look to her, as if the idea of a school fire didn't even faze her.

All three have Goss wrapped around their face.

Ursula begins,

"Umm school has only just started and we've already had a small fire in the dorms…"

Small fire? Ha, she should have seen it for herself!

"Usually, we would impart a strict punishment, but since it's only the first day, we'll let you off with a warning." She says to the three students behind her. "Next time we won't be so lax, so please be careful. Understood, you three?"

Her question only get's a weak response from Lotte,

"Y-yes ma'am."

Jeez, if this is what happens in a day, I wonder what would happen in a whole year!

Ms. Ursula addresses the three students again, who looked like they were in mid conversation, perhaps on the fire itself.

"You three seem like you are having fun. Are you really reflecting on what you've done?"

Akko and Lotte speak in unison,

"Ah…?! O…of course!"

Obviously not believing them Ursula says,

"As punishment, I'll have you clean the toilets of a week!"

Hearing this news sends Akko and Lotte in a fit, while the other just sits there emotionless.

I quietly begin chuckling to myself, every event today beginning to get the better of me.

Today I was enrolled in an all girls school. Today I witnessed a girl get blasted with fire magic, and today I battled my own little fire myself.

But what's next? Monsters? Dragons? Titans?

Maybe this won't be so bad after all.

* * *

 **Author's Note: I hope you boys enjoyed my first chapter!**

 **While this is a rather weak chapter, as a first chapter is always, I can promise you, my new readers, that it only gets better!**


	2. First Day

Waking up in my own dorm felt great.

However, what doesn't feel great is my inexperience.

In preparation for being thrown into this new world, I spent the majority of the night studying, only being able to learn a lightning spell and a basic ward spell.

Of course, those two spells aren't tested in a real combat situation.

Even with that, the same fears I felt yesterday still resonate with me.

My true motive in life, my destiny if you will, is to rekindle the fire within my dying family and return them to greatness. I believe that a return to our roots, re educating ourselves in magic, would be a good step forward.

However, my knowledge of magic is severely limited, myself not having even attained basic understanding of the subject.

Relax, relax, it's only the first day, it's not like they're going to immediately press us.

I need to relax.

As I put on my school uniform, I only now realize that it comes with a skirt.

Just like Ms. Holbrooke said, this school is tailored to care of the needs of females, having never having to have males in mind.

I toss the skirt aside, preferring the blue pants I was wearing yesterday.

It's a nice fit, additionally something to mark myself apart from all the female students.

And most importantly, it matches with the blue uniform.

As I leave my room, and enter the hallway, I can't help but admire the new floor they put in after Akko destroyed the old one.

I know it was an accident and all, but I have to admit, the toilets never looked better!

I glance at the clock on the wall, realizing that now it's time to head over to my first class, alchemy.

I head out of the dorm building, walking into the main building, using my school map to help guide me.

Now entering the class, I take time to survey the room.

The room contains multiple tables, all in the shape of a hexagon, with symbols that I have no idea the meaning of, strewn around a metal cup with a fire underneath it. On either sides of the room are shelves stocked with alchemical ingredients.

The teacher herself is an older one, having brown, slightly faded hair that ends in two strands going down the fronts of her ears.

Once more students begin to flood in and the bell rings, the professor begins her introduction.

"Hello students, my name is Ms. Finnalin. Now if each group would go to a table, I would like to begin."

As instructed, every group goes to a table, everyone except me.

Heading towards one of tables, I realize that im naturally alone, myself being the only one in my dorm and thus in my group.

I feel a little left out, being all alone at my own table.

Does this mean that I'm going to be doing things solo the whole year? No group work for me?

Oh well, this just means fewer distractions.

The professor continues,

"As it is our first day here, I would like to see what you already know. I shall observe, occasionally checking on each group. Mix and create whatever you desire, within legal standing of course. Consider this a free day."

With that, the whole classroom comes to life.

Whether it's students experimenting, fetching ingredients, or just messing around with their friends, there is no doubt that the whole thing seems like the happenings from a normal school.

I admit, I have only used a mortar and pestle a couple of times while cooking.

Will it be like how it's shown on T.V.? Just add a mushroom with some toejam and boom, potion?

Probably not.

I walk over to the shelves and am perplexed by the ingredients.

Devil's Feet, Troll's Nose, and Cyclops Eye are some names that stand out.

I grab two jars, their names being Snake's Finger and Dog's Scales.

I still don't get why they would name mushrooms this.

As I move back to my desk, I notice Sucy, one of the problem students from earlier, leave her original table and go up to another, asking one of the witches

"Want my potion?"

The witch answers nervously,

"Uhh…no thank you."

With a nonchalant shrug, Sucy leaves the witch, perhaps in pursuit of another potential taste tester.

What about Sucy is so off putting, anyway?

Is it her appearance? Sure, she looks sick, and has bags under her eyes.

I bet she's a nice person, just trying to make friends.

I find my desk and begin the assignment.

Ok, so let's see what happens when I mix these two together.

As I put them in the pot, it immediately starts to boil and change colors from clear to green.

Just what might happen if I drink this stuff? By the toxic smells coming from the pot, something not good for sure.

With this craft of potions remind myself of Sucy, I look back in her direction, wondering if her quest is still in progress.

I spot her still wandering around the room, trying to get someone to try her potion.

You know what? When she comes by, I will try it.

She slowly shuffles her way towards my workstation and lifts her arm up, revealing a vile of liquid.

"Try my potion." She says rather crudely.

She's probably just irritated that nobody accepted.

"Sure."

I take the potion, much to Sucy's surprise.

I hold on to the neck of the bottle, and unscrew the cap. As I do, a green mist in the shape of a skull and crossbones leaks out.

Sucy begins to put on a badly hidden smile.

I'm starting to think that the other witches might have been onto something, refusing Sucy's request.

"This isn't poison...right?" I ask her, starting to share the same doubts and nervousness that the other students felt.

At this point, Sucy can't hide it, and her smile takes full fledge.

"It's not poison…it's remedy."

With caution, I put the bottle up to my nose, and take a whiff.

The odor begins to burn my nostrils, as my eyes begin to water.

Sucy takes notice of this,

"Oh come on. Your nose is big enough to take in that whole cup."

My nose isn't that big.

I begin to pour the concoction into my mouth, causing my face to go numb.

Putting the now empty bottle on the table, I ask

"Really? That's it-"

I'm cut off, as a burning sensation starts to envelope my mouth.

It only gets hotter and hotter, almost as if Krakatoa itself blew up in my mouth.

In a both terrified and instinctual move, I slam my face against the faucet, trying to claim some liquid.

My face, turning bright red, causes Sucy to burst out laughing.

"Haha, your face is as red as a tomato!"

Gasping for breath, I feel the pain begin to die down, as my body temperature and face color returns to normal. Sucy asks,

"So, what did you think?"

What did I think?!

A few words come to mind. Sadist, narcissist, and masochist, but only one of those words works here.

I finally settle on,

"Never again."

"Ha, yeah right." Sucy smirks out, doubting my claim. "But I like you. You're the first person to try my potion."

Still a bit shaken by this encounter, I sarcastically respond

"Ohhh, I'm so honored."

Sensing my hostility, Sucy says

"Hey, don't get too down. You should be honored…"

"Why, because you're sooo special?"

"No." She bluntly says, having enough of my tone. "Listen Squidward, I consider you a friend now. Not many people would try my potion…and still be conscious. I like someone who can take abuse…and not cry about it."

"I guess we're friends then." I say to her, not knowing if this is good or bad.

She does a little smile, revealing her sharp teeth, and says,

"I'd better get back to my table…Akko and Lotte are going to have a fit."

She then starts to slink away, before stopping herself.

"By the way, who are you?"

All of this without even knowing my name?

"I'm Theodore."

"Well Ted, see ya around."

"Bye Sucy."

She begins to walk away, only to stop herself again.

She points one of her long, pale fingers at my brew,

"Oh, by the way, Snake's Fingers and Dog's Scales makes a pretty good poison, nice work."

She then walks back to her table.

Well, that was interesting.

With that, I begin to clean up my workstation, cleaning test tubes, washing the pot, and even storing my recently created poison in a bottle, putting it into my satchel.

Hey, it could come in handy later.

As the bell rings, the teacher says her goodbyes.

"Alright students, if you haven't already, gather up your potions and clean up your workstation."

My part already being done, I leave the class and begin to walk to my next class, magic history.

Walking down the hallway, and into the class, I see to my left elevated desks that resemble a classroom in college. On my right, sits the teacher's desk, with an older woman sitting there. Behind the table rests a giant chalkboard. I also see Akko, Lotte, Diana, Hannah, and Barbara. Those five all in the same class? Taking into consideration their encounter during orientation, I think I'm going to like this period so much more now.

The professor begins her lecture,

"Welcome to you all, my name is Ms. Europa. Now, if you would all take a seat, I would like to begin."

I move and take the seat closest to the board, as I normally do.

The other students, as they normally do, try to grab a seat in the back. It takes, what I think as, too long.

The teacher continues,

"I would like to welcome you to my class. We will be learning about the history of magic and study novels based on the subject. Like the book we will be discussing tomorrow, 'The Old Straight Track' by Alfred Watkins."

Hearing the thought of starting work on the second day of school causes the class to collectively groan.

I personally like teachers like that, people who start us learning as soon as possible.

Hey, we didn't come here to goof off all day.

"Any questions?" She asks us.

I do have a question, something I have been wondering since I came here.

I raise my hand.

"What is it?"

"What is that big green light at the top of the tower?" I point through the window at it.

"Well, that is the Sorcerer's Stone. A powerful artifact used as a sort of a container for our magic that we utilize day to day. Does that answer your question, Mr. Sempronia?"

I nod.

I have never been called mister before by a teacher. I wonder if Ms. Europa is the type to do that often.

"Since it is your first day here, I will go rather easy on you today."

She pulls out a wand and points it at a stack of papers on her desk.

They begin to float up and move towards us.

The process only takes seconds.

When it is all over, each student has an assignment in front of them.

"I would like you all to finish this worksheet in class."

I take the paper, reading the first question.

'Which was worse to witch-kind, The Inquisition or The Salem Witch Trials?'

I bubble in The Inquisition.

By the time I finish the quiz, the bell rings.

The teacher then says her goodbyes,

"Don't forget, we have a short break."

The class and I then leave the room.

As I'm about to walk down the stairwell, I hear a familiar voice cry out

"Hey Theodore, wait up!"

I spin around, wondering who called me, until I see Akko, Lotte, and Sucy catching up to me.

"What?" I ask them, not knowing the purpose behind their wanted encounter with me.

Akko talks first.

"We thought that you might want to spend the break with us."

"What made you think that?"

I don't even know these three.

I saw Akko suffer in a magic duel, Sucy poisoned me for her own pleasure, and Lotte ran away from me due to embarrassment.

"Well, we did say that we were friends." Sucy replies.

"And friends spend time together." Lotte adds.

I never thought that I would have a group of women wanting to hang out with me.

There has to be some kind of ulterior motive.

"What's the catch?" I ask.

Impatiently, Akko puffs out her cheeks in frustration.

"There is no catch, all we want is a new friend!"

Not knowing anyone else, and not having anything better to do, I finally say

"Just take it easy, Akko. Sure, I'll hang out with you three."

I just don't want to sit next to Sucy.

"Great!"

They lead me down the stairwell, and to one of the many tables strewn around the break room room.

As we all take a seat, Akko immediately begins to bombard me with questions.

"So, why is a boy here? Do you like Shiny Chariot? Where are you from? Do you like Shiny Chariot? How do you like the school? Did you see that explosion yesterday? Wasn't it so awesome?!"

Sucy interjects,

"Akko, I don't think our friend here can keep up with your jibber jabber."

"Ohhh Sucy, you're always so mean to me!"

"Well, it's not like you make it difficult…"

As those two continue to argue, I turn to Lotte.

She seems to be the only one I can talk to.

"So, do those two get at each other's throats often?"

"Well, they-"

She is cut off as the bell rings, signaling the end of break.

Akko sighs and mutters,

"Ah, that couldn't have been five minutes."

I stand up, saying

"Well, I suppose it's time for us to get a move on."

We say our goodbyes, and go up the stairway.

As I continue my trek, I notice that the three of them are heading in the same direction as I.

"So Theodore, you're going to broom riding class, as well?" Lotte asks.

I nod a yes.

"That's great, I guess that means we can goof off!" Akko shouts, clearly satisfied.

Apparently, the class isn't in the main building, but instead takes place in the tower. I guess flying wouldn't be any fun without heights.

But still, I have never ridden a broom before. I have no idea if they expect me to be able to fly or not.

We enter the tower and see a crowd of witches already waiting.

The room is in a dome shape, with benches hugging the wall. In the middle is a statue to someone called 'Jennifer the Witch.'

We sit down, not a moment too soon, as the teacher comes strolling in.

Wait, I've seen her before.

Yeah, she was that unpleasant lady that handed out my equipment.

She speaks in the same scruffy tone from before, making me think that this is her real voice.

"I'm only going to say this once, so listen up! My name is Ms. Volare, your flying instructor. In case you're too much of an idiot to realize, you will be learning how to fly brooms. Now, come with me to the courtyard!"

Just as sour as I remember. I guess she acts this way to everyone, not just me.

We get up and follow Volare outside.

The courtyard itself is a large rectangular shaped field of grass. On one side of the wall is the tower itself, while the other side is dominated by the forest that surrounds this school. The professor continues,

"Grab a broom from the far wall, so we can begin your lesson."

We turn our attention towards multiple wooden stands, each one holding a broom.

Once we all have a broom in our hands, she continues.

"Since it's only day one, we will get to know the broom itself."

I let out a sigh of relief.

Good, I was afraid we would begin flying today.

The teacher goes over multiple, and in my opinion, unnecessary parts of the broom, including how to hold it and how to turn.

Even if she has an air of hostility, I can say that she's at least knowledgeable on the subject.

Once she is done describing what types of wood goes faster, and other useless information, she moves on,

"Now that we got that out of the way, I will judge ya based off your immediate skill. When I pass by you, show me the proper flight technique."

I guess it's not too late for me to make a fool out of myself.

She passes by multiple students, each time giving them an A, until she stops by me.

"Well, look who decided to stay, the grand moff himself! So I trust that you can do something as basic as ride a broom, or are you that much of an idiot?!"

Just what is this girl's problem?

Whatever, I'll show her. I'll show everyone here just what kind of power and pride I have.

If anyone can get that good of a grade, then surely someone like me can pass with flying colors.

I grab the handle, with one hand close to the other, and put the broom in between my legs. With this task complete, I await her response.

"Well kid, your starting grade is a C."

This news of my failure hits me like a bullet.

"What?!"

"Just for the back talking, it's now a C-"

I shut my mouth, now aware of this little game we're playing.

The more I talk, the more she will lower my grade.

However, it seems she is using my silence to her advantage, shouting abuse at me without repercussions.

"What kid? Cat got your tongue?! I would've thought that the only boy here would show greater strength than-"

She is cut off, as the bell begins to ring.

I turn towards the door and begin to walk away, away from her.

"Hey, Theodore!"

I turn, expecting to see Volare, but instead see Akko, Lotte, and Sucy catching up to me.

"Are you okay, Theodore? Ms. Volare was acting very immature." Lotte asks.

"Are you going to cry or something?" Sucy asks.

"No Sucy, I'm not." I answer her, before muttering. "Why is she always targeting me?"

"Who could say? But, you'll look even more like a fool if you're late to your next class."

The idea of being late to class sits worse than her calling me a fool.

I'll let that one go.

"That's true, don't want to be late on the first day."

After we exchange our goodbyes, I make my way back to the main building.

I go up several flights of stairs until I reach my next class, Destruction Magic Class, one that I've been looking forward to.

When I enter the room, I notice that it is not like any normal classroom.

The room is completely vacant, save for the students and the professor. In fact, there is no whiteboard, no desks apart from her's, no table, not even sufficient lighting. Just an empty room. I also note that I don't recognize anyone here.

Still hovering my gaze through the sea of students, I spot features that stand out to me.

I'd remember that finely combed blond hair and good posture anywhere, Diana.

The professor is wearing a standard teacher's outfit. However, she seems to have customized it, as she decorated her sleeves with a flame pattern.

As we all gather around her desk, she begins her introduction.

As she speaks, her tone is a bit monotone and bland, almost as if she's had to rehearse this opening about a dozen times, each time worse than the last.

I bet that's the case.

"Hey class, Ms. Faralda, your destruction teacher. Over the course of this year, I'll be teaching you several defensive as well as offensive spells, hopefully ensuring your survival should a duel happen. God forbid you might actually have to preserve yourself. Anyway, don't let that subject name give you the heebie jeebies. The school board has required a class like mine to take many precautions including, but not limited to, armor specialized in deflecting magic used by special wands that we provide. Now does anyone have a question?"

Diana raises her hand,

"Has there ever been any accidents involving this art?"

"Of course. There has been students using non specialized wands, but there have never been any serious injuries."

Completely skipping any other hands that may be up, Ms. Faralda points at a shelf, saying with much more enthusiasm than before

"Now, if there are no more questions, would you all put on the armor over by the shelf?"

We oblige, myself putting on one of the suit, noticing that it smells exactly like old gym clothes.

Just another reminder of my old schooling system.

Once our outfits are on and the wands have been exchanged, Ms. Faralda continues.

"Alright!" She exclaims, clasping her hands together in satisfaction. "Now that I've gotten that boring intro out of the way, we can have ourselves a little fun!"

She strides away from her spot at her desk, saying to us.

"Pair up with another student, and go to the opposite ends of the room. You will duel each other to see how you will fair in this class, and to give myself a bit of entertainment. If there's one thing I love more than teaching Destruction Magic, it's watching destruction magic!"

I turn around, and realize that everyone is already being paired up with friends, probably made from years of wizardly education.

All the while I've been subjected to the regular educational progress, and now being in this brave new world, not knowing anyone to partner up with.

Well, not knowing anyone except Diana.

I note that she as well doesn't have a partner.

Maybe word of that fire duel she had with Akko spread.

She notices this as well and walks over to me.

"Well, I suppose we are the only ones left."

"I suppose so."

"Given the circumstances, I believe it would be best if we were to partner up."

"Sounds fine to me."

She lets a little smirk slide, saying

"Well, this shouldn't take long."

We make our way to the middle of the room as do the rest of the students, preparing for the duel at hand.

Only now do I realize that everyone, including Faralda, is watching us.

And it's only now that I realize just what I'm getting myself into.

Myself, a fresh faced wizard with no real experience, facing off against Diana, the student who took down another one in less than a second.

Well, just as she said, this shouldn't take long.


	3. The Labyrinth

Here I am, standing face to face with Diana.

Even if I wanted to back out, I couldn't, as the other students surround us like a wall.

The only thing that's missing is them chanting 'Fight! Fight! Fight!'

"Theodore, are you ready?" Diana asks, herself not taking her eyes of me.

I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be.

"Yes, you can make the first move."

I find that it's best to read your enemies' moves first. It's easier to defend yourself, than to attack someone else.

Based on the general attitude everyone has towards Diana, I assume I'm going to need all the advantages I can get.

"Oh my, well aren't you a gentleman?" She says, me having no idea if that was sarcasm or not.

She suddenly snaps her wand at me, causing a bright beam of yellow light to rush towards me.

Good thing I already learned the ward spell, or this fight would have been over in an instant.

I raise my wand and cast the ward spell.

The magical shield shatters on impact and her spell hits me.

Not with enough force to do damage, but enough to make me rethink my strategy.

I fire a lightning bolt at her, which she easily blocks with her own wand.

She then casts another, much more powerful spell at me, a fire spell. I dash to my left, effectively side stepping it in the nick of time, the burning heat brushing against my side.

Damn, that was a close one!

For training wands, it sure does feel real!

While I'm still suffering from what could've been, Diana takes this chance to strike me in the arm, sending searing pain throughout.

Biting my lip to quell my pain filled cry, I note that every little movement I attempt with my left arm now sends pulsating waves of pain throughout my body.

Good thing I'm right handed.

This gives her a look of satisfaction, as I clutch at my injured arm.

To stifle her growing confidence, I say

"It'll take more than that."

I then cast another lightning spell at her, this time aimed at her leg.

I cast it, pretending to aim for her torso. As she shields her chest, it slams against her knee.

As she winces from the pain, as I mutter

"That was for Rome."

In defense, Diana casts a ward spell on herself, completely covering her body.

It will take a lot of force to destroy that, definitely more than I can hope to muster up on my own.

Figuring out how to destroy her magical shield, I cast the same water spell I used to put out the fire Akko caused at Diana, soaking her and splashing myself in the process.

In quick succession, I then cast the lightning spell again, hoping that, combined with the water, it will be enough to disable her ward.

However to my full surprise, she absorbs my spell into her wand and fires it back at me, rushing at me with the speed of a bullet.

The lightning, amplified by the water, hits me hard, the force of it throwing me back, myself feeling the painful sting of electrocution all the while.

I slam against the wall with a loud bang, collapsing onto the ground.

I try to get myself up, pushing my hands against the ground.

My tembeling hands give out from under me, myself falling onto the ground again, all the energy drained from me, temporarily immobilized by my own spell.

The whole class puts on a look of fear, Faralda, herself, yelling,

"Diana, help me get Theodore back to his dorm, and someone get nurse PagetDaPanda!"

Both the teacher and Diana grab me, slinging my arms over their shoulders, as my eyes flutter close.

* * *

I wake up, myself blinking underneath the harsh light of the full moon.

A few moments later, and I summon the strength to look around.

I'm now lying in my bed, my whole body as sore as can be, every little movement reminding myself of that.

Diana really gave me a beating, huh?

Well, what did I expect?

I have no previous training, no past experience in destruction magic. I think I did pretty well considering my considerable lack of magical knowledge.

Whatever, I'll get her back later.

Still though, I wonder if she's sympathetic towards my minor injuries.

To her, am I just another combatant? A nameless figure that was simply a roadblock for her ambitions? People with money and skill tend to be apathetic towards those who can't match up with their own abilities.

How long did I last anyway?

Time seemed to speed up significantly, but perhaps I lasted a minute at best.

A minute sound like a small feat, but consider the conditions.

A boy with no past magical experience, going up against Diana, the girl who is known for her, well, magical experience.

I'm surprised that I lasted that long. She could have ended that fight in six seconds!

Perhaps, it was for my benefit.

I can't find out what skills I possess if the match is over before I can lift my wand, and I also can't grow those same skills if she threw the fight.

Very clever Diana, very clever.

I turn to my nightstand and see a potion with a note, it reads:

'Forgive my earlier actions, perhaps I can tutor you how to properly use magic at a later time. Get well soon.

-Diana'

So she does care.

I take the vile and begin to drink.

It begins to soothe my pain almost instantaneously.

You see? This is a perfect example of why I'm here, this little, easy to make potion.

This forbidden knowledge that has been stripped from my family.

This art will soon be all but gone in a few decades if one hesitates to rejuvenate it. When I look around and see all these students and teachers, do I see devil worshippers?

No, I see only those who have not hesitated.

This potion, this whole school is nothing short of amazing.

I begin to feel a sudden ache of drowsiness seep into my skull, as if a side effect from the potion.

Once again, I feel my eyes flutter closed.

I awake again, this time to the sounds of knocking at my door.

I read my alarm clock, 3:33 AM.

Who could that be at this hour?

I stand up, as I walk towards my door, I realize something. The first time I slept here, I was awakened unnaturally, the same thing happening now. I really hope this doesn't become a daily thing.

I open the door and am surprised by who is standing there.

"Ms. Ursula, why-"

I notice Diana behind her.

"What are you two doing here?"

"There is not enough time to explain, so please follow me you two." Ursula answers.

As I begin to exit the room, the teacher then begins to walk, causing Diana and I to follow her, a few feet behind.

Diana uses this opportunity to vent her grievances.

"Listen Theodore, I wanted to apologize for hurting you. I should have taken into account the fact that you have a limited grasp of the arcane arts."

She really does care.

But still, she's not at fault, saying so would be a lie and a half. I didn't have to fight her, I chose to. I was also prepared to enact the same punishment onto her. I doused her with water, and shot electricity her way.

She had to make a decision: To put herself in harm's way for a stranger, or save herself a few sore muscles. She chose self preservation, there's nothing wrong with that. I took the bull by the horns, and the bull threw me over its head. I had to brave the tide, or risk being swept away.

I just didn't realize I was facing a rogue wave.

I let my confidence in my bloodline get the better of me.

After all, the Sempronia family hasn't used magic in over one thousand years! So, it's only natural that I would be rusty.

But saying that would destroy what limited appearances I have.

I have to keep up some kind of bravado.

"It's fine, I knew what I was getting into."

"Even so, I take full responsibility for your injuries. Have they gotten any better?"

"My body is still a little sore, but that potion you gave me definitely helped. Thanks for that, by the way."

"Not a problem, after all, I was the one who put you in such a state."

She must really feel guilty, I feel kind of bad for her.

"So, do you know why Ms. Ursula is calling us…at three in the morning?" I ask, trying to change the subject.

"She informed me full well what we shall be doing. However, I believe that Ms. Ursula would like to explain our new position."

The conversation ends there.

We go underground and enter a huge room, illuminated by torches, with a giant door, complete with a set of locks.

Ursula then begins to explain the situation.

"This is the labyrinth, one of Luna Nova's many passageways. I called you two here for a special assignment. In a few days, the students will be taking a test down here, to prove their magical abilities against monsters. I need you two to go down into the labyrinth, and test it."

"I can understand why Diana is here, but why me?" I ask, deeply interested in this task.

Diana decides to answer my question.

"I asked Ms. Ursula to. I was impressed by your tenacity when facing an opponent who completely eclipses you in talent. Additionally, I would like to see just what you can do in another combat situation. Believe it or not, but I can sense some power in you. And as Student Representative, it's my job to ensure that all students are participating with their full potential unlocked."

These words of praise satisfy me. I thought my failure would only hinder other's interpretations of me. Why, it's only the first day and already I'm being praised by Diana, the top student, even if it is that of potential.

The professor then asks,

"What do you two think about this request?"

Diana immediately answers back with a certain confidence that sounds reversed.

"These monsters shouldn't present much of a problem."

"And you Theodore?" Ursula asks.

I need to backup Diana's blessings with my own confidence.

But let us hope it's not simply bravado.

"Are you sure you need a mage of my caliber for this test?"

Instead of an answer, she flat out says,

"I'll give you fifty points, extra credit."

This day just keeps getting better and better.

First, the best student was impressed with myself proclaimed mediocre magic skills, and now I can improve my C- in flying class!

I nod my head in confirmation.

With a flick of her wand, Ursula opens the massive doors.

As Diana and I enter, Ursula closes the door, leaving both of us alone, in the labyrinth.

The first thing I notice is how dark and dingy it is. I

ts endless passageways could get someone lost forever.

Every footstep is echoed and water drips from the ceiling.

"Well, this is lovely." Diana sarcastically remarks. "What do you think about this scenery?"

"Far as I'm concerned, it's The Four Seasons."

After we are both done chuckling at this small joke, we walk deeper into the labyrinth.

She leads me down multiple flights of stairs, truthfully I think she is just wandering aimlessly, until we stop at a corridor.

At the end of the corridor is a rat of unusual size.

Bigger than Diana, and she's four inches taller than me!

It turns towards us, its black, matted, and unkempt fur glistening in the torch light.

It lets out a shriek that resembles a Fisher Cat and lunges at us.

Before I even have time to grab my wand, Diana casts a destruction spell at it.

In an instant, its neck bursts open, the thing letting out a gurgled moan, before falling to dead the ground. Diana scoffs,

"This is a monster?"

She then turns to me.

"Let's keep moving. Stay on your guard, there may be more."

"I hope not. That thing was two feet taller than me. Slightly intimidating, I'll admit."

She spins around, hands on her hips.

"Wizards are supposed to be feared. How could you be afraid of some creature of larger stature? Besides, my magic is invincible, you have absolutely nothing to fear."

Invincible magic?

Diana, I think your pride might be getting out of hand.

Huh, thinking about it, that's something we have in common.

But unlike me, she actually has the talent to support such claims.

But I need not worry, I'll get there one day.

My Roman blood and ancestors shall guide me, as I climb my way up the magical ladder.

I'll reach the top one day. But for now, let's just get through today.

"You're right, Diana. Let us continue. As before, I shall follow you."

She smiles slightly, losing her cold expression.

Was it because I told her she was right?

"Well then, let's go."

With that, I follow her.

I follow her up and down multiple flights of stairs, crossing many corridors, and strolling through many derelict rooms, all the while I ponder quietly to myself.

What is this place?

I mean, it's a labyrinth of course, but what was its intent? Was it always designed to test the abilities of witches and wizards, or perhaps more? Was the school built on top of the labyrinth, or was the labyrinth build under the school? What came first, the school, or the labyrinth?

We walk up an ancient, stone flight of stairs. At the top of those stairs is a dusty and dilapidated wooden door.

This is interesting.

We've been walking around for awhile now, but this is the first door we've come across.

Diana looks at me.

"Open the door." She requests. "I'll clear the room."

I put my hand on the brass handle, looking over at Diana. She pulls out her wand and points it at the door, poised to strike down any would be enemies. After we exchange a nod, I quickly fling open the door. Upon viewing the room, Diana's expression turns from determination, to confusion, emphasized by a head tilt.

Confused myself, I turn my gaze towards the room. This doesn't help my confusion.

What's in the room is trash.

That's it, nothing but abandoned junk. Every little knick knack imaginable is strewn across the floor, and I mean everything! I eye countless numbers of tables, chairs, cupboards, dressers, pots, pans, and many other items.

As we walk inside, more and more objects come into view. A collapsed pillar, what's left of some kind of wooden altar, and…is that knight armor?

I kneel down next to the rusted metal suit.

It's covered in spider webs, and a thick layer of dust. This has seen better days.

As I study the armor, something sparkling catches my gaze.

Looking up, I spot some kind of staff, perhaps a rod, held in place like a sword in the stone, or in this case, the staff in the litter. It's hard to make out in the dim light, but I count seven gems decorating the staff, each of them giving off an occasional twinkle.

"What's that?" I ask Diana, pointing at the rod.

Once her eyes make contact with the rod, her eyes widen, and her jaw clenches. The look she's bearing, it's as if she just stumbled onto someone who hurt her badly years ago. As if she was betrayed and abandoned by a close friend. Pure anger and frustration.

She hides it well, but it's the little things that give her true feelings away. A brow furrow here, and a jaw clench there. She opens her mouth, but quickly closes it, as she tries to find the right words. Finally, she lets out an annoyed sigh, before saying

"Nothing, nothing at all, just another piece of litter. It may look beautiful, but underneath all the glitter and glamour is nothing. It's no better than a peppermint stick, nothing but an unhealthy sweetness. No substance, and no meaning."

She follows up with a quick

"By the way, we better make our way to the exit if we want to get back in time, let's go."

Clearly, it's not nothing, at least not to Diana. She obviously knows more that she's telling, but I don't want to press the issue. Not only do I not care enough to, but also this would lead to unwanted drama.

I brush these thoughts aside, following her back up several flights of stairs.

We leave the labyrinth, going through the left tunnel.

We find Ms. Ursula sitting down on the ground, reading a book.

Hearing our footsteps, she looks up, greeting us with a smile.

"Ah, there you two are. So, how was it? Do you think the average student can handle it?"

Diana answers first.

"As long as they keep their guard up, and don't do anything idiotic, I see no reason against it."

Ms. Ursula pulls out a clipboard, and writes this down.

She then turns to me.

"And you, Theodore?"

"I agree with Diana. Nothing too strenuous, or difficult."

She writes this down as well, putting her clipboard back in her satchel.

"Thank you both for your participation. I'm going to discuss with Ms. Holbrooke these new statistics. You two may go back to your dorms. Sweet dreams upon you both!"

Ms. Ursula then walks out of the room, leaving me and Diana alone.

The blonde turns towards me.

"Well Theodore, this was fun and all, but I think it might be best if we went back to bed."

"Fine with me, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight Theodore."

"Goodnight Diana."

We leave each other, both of us going to our own dorms.

Once I enter my room I immediately collapse on my bed, but not before noticing that it's now 5:33 AM. Well, let's hope these last few hours of sleep I have left go uninterrupted.


	4. An Average Day of Magic School

Sitting in magic history class, we await a lecture from Ms. Europa.

On her chalkboard she has written "The Old Straight Track by Alfred Watkins. Below that is a map of Britain, with two diagonal lines going through it. On the left of that is a drawing of Luna Nova's tower and The Sorcerer's Stone, each accompanied by a description.

I scan over the students' faces.

Most have a look of boredom, except for Diana and Lotte, whom look attentively.

I, personally, am fairly excited, as I have always been interested in this subject.

I've looked better myself. When I stared in the mirror this past morning, I was greeted with black bags underneath unfocused eyes. Truthfully, it reminded me of Sucy.

Of course, Diana doesn't seem tired at all, in fact you would think she was sound asleep the whole night!

Akko, however looks like she is struggling to stay awake.

I turn behind me to face her.

"I know this lecture isn't the most exciting thing in the world, but why don't you try to stay awake?"

"No way, not after what Sucy did."

"What did she do?" I ask.

"Last night, she wanted to try out a luck potion on me. I drank it, and my arms suddenly grew into tentacles!"

"Wow, that does sound lucky." I say sarcastically.

"I was so angry, I chased her around our room all night. I just can't believe she used me as a guinea pig!"

The bell rings, signaling the beginning of class. The professor then begins her long awaited speech.

"As promised yesterday, we will be studying the book that is written on the board. Now turn to page thirty three of the book in front of you."

We all turn to that page, as she continues her speech.

"This book pinpoints the location of ley lines…"

I hear a soft breathing in my ear. Upon turning around, I see a sleeping Akko, drooling on her book.

Looks like she didn't take my advice.

Not wanting to get caught not paying attention, I turn back to the professor.

"…A ley line is an area that radiates magic. Thus, our academy is located on ley lines, which were advocated by Alfred Watkins. These ley lines act as a pipeline for our magical power. They carry the power to the tower of Luna Nova, and store it in the Sorcerer's Stone. The power stored in the Sorcerer's Stone can then be-"

She is cut off as Akko lets out a loud and obvious snore.

The teacher continues, but not before conjuring a pixie.

It moves towards Akko's direction.

"Well, the power can then be utilized as a source of our magical abilities as witches."

"Hey, Akko, Akko." Lotte whispers, trying to stir her friend awake.

The pixie grabs hold of Akko's ponytail, pulls her head up, and lets go.

The sleeping girl's face slams against the desk painfully.

Europa continues without losing stride.

"Those who use magic only for their benefit will be destroyed by magic for good. Can anyone tell me who said that?"

Diana raises her hand.

"Miss Cavendish."

The blonde stands up from her seat.

"T.S. Daniels, Wizardly Eudemonics."

"Very good. In order to properly use magic, you must first learn its history. Do you understand Miss Kagari?"

Akko raises her head, red from impact, she says

"Yes."

The bell rings, signaling the end of the period.

Before we leave, Europa gives us an assignment.

"Your homework is to read to page thirteen, and describe how this section benefits us witches."

But I'm a wizard.

* * *

We find ourselves back in the chairs we sat in yesterday during break.

Sucy begins the conversation.

"You know Akko, I have a potion that helps with tiredness."

This gives Akko the biggest grin I've ever seen.

"What, really?! Oh Sucy, you must let me try it!"

"Sure."

I've got a bad feeling about this.

Sucy pulls out a bottle of who knows what out of her satchel.

She then puts a brush into the liquid, and begins to dad Akko's nose with it.

Akko's face turns from excitement, into pain.

"That stings!"

"Stop whining, I'm almost done." Sucy says roughly.

"Does this really work?" Akko asks.

"Don't worry." Sucy mutters, Akko's fear not at all stopping her activities. "Have faith in Sucy's special magic potion."

Done with her work, Sucy puts her tools away.

A few seconds pass and Akko's face suddenly becomes inflated like a balloon. As her face shrinks back, her nose becomes the shape of a pencil.

Angered, Akko demands,

"What did you do to my nose?!"

Sucy covers her mouth with one hand to prevent any laughs from escaping, while giggling out

"Now, your nose is almost as big as Ted's!"

Damn Sucy, I must be a Bernie supporter, because I just felt the burn.

Akko comes to the realization that she had just been tricked…for the second time.

She jumps out of her chair.

"Hey! You used me as a guinea pig again!"

"Relax. Your nose will return to its normal size in an hour…maybe."

Akko becomes even more angry, causing Lotte to step in.

"Calm down. It's all because you fell asleep in class."

"That class was so boring, I couldn't help it! Who could?!" Akko asks.

"I don't know. I find the history of magic quite interesting."

"Same." I inform her.

Akko slams her hand on the table, as she sits back down.

"I don't care about ancient history! I didn't come here to become one of those moldy old witches, they're just no fun at all! I want to be a cool witch, like Shiny Chariot!"

Akko's voice rings through the halls, causing several heard to turn, including a certain blonde.

"Did you just say Shiny Chariot?" Diana asks from the top of the staircase. "I haven't heard that name in a long time."

"Diana, you know about Shiny Chariot? Isn't she like the coolest, ever?" Akko asks, full of glee.

"Oh my, you're so sad. How could you step into this academy, after being inspired by some pathetic fraud?" She asks, while walking towards our table.

"Hey! What did you say?!" Akko demands, standing up from her seat once again, clearly enraged that someone has insulted her idol.

Diana shoves her face in Akko's, causing the young witch to cower back.

"You should know that no witch or wizard cares for what she does." Diana states, in a matter of fact way.

"If you're into that kiddy stage magic." Hannah says, appearing to come out of nowhere.

"I think you should go to witch kindergarten. I'm sure you'll find many more kids at your level." Barbara jokes.

"I'll wipe that stuck up look off your face, Diana!" Akko yells.

"With what? Your stuck up nose?"

Diana then flicks Akko's magic manifested nose, causing her to fall back into the arms of Sucy and Lotte.

"Take care of yourself. Well, have a nice day." Diana says sarcastically, before strutting off with Hannah and Barbara in tow.

The latter two giggling like stereotypical school girls.

"I can't believe this! Ted, you like Shiny Chariot, right?" Akko demands.

"Who's Shiny Chariot?" I ask, me wondering why Akko is making such a big deal out of her.

Akko's face contorts into a look of hatred at my lack of knowledge.

Lotte and Sucy begin making slicing motions at their throats, behind Akko, signaling that I just messed up.

I try to regain myself.

"Uh, yeah Akko. I know who she is…" I lie. "She's a Disney character, right?"

Instead of a response, Akko grabs her hair, lets out a cry of rage, and runs out of the room. Well, that was a tad bit dramatic.

The bell rings, signaling the start of flying class.

I really hope we can go another day without riding a broom.

Like yesterday, we await in the same room, with the same statue. But unlike yesterday, Akko has not said a word to me.

She must still be angry about the whole Shiny Chariot thing.

No one has still told me who she is, oh well, Akko will get over it eventually.

Also, like yesterday, Volare comes stomping in.

"Follow me to the top of the tower, move it!"

We follow her, up the stairs, until we end up at a balcony.

The overlook is surrounded by a metal fence, except for a section that juts out, obviously intended for flying.

Well, I don't think we're here to just look at the scenery. I think this is going to be a very interesting day.

By looking at Akko, I can tell that she is thinking the same thing. In fact, she looks even more terrified than I do.

"So Akko, I can tell you're excited about this," I joke.

"Ummm…I'm just scared, I've never flown on a broom before." She answers back.

"That's two things we have in common."

Volare begins to hand each of us a broom, hardening my fears.

She stands at the edge of the balcony, as she explains why she brought us here.

"Listen up! This is you first time flying on school grounds. This is just a test drive, so watch out for your speed. Every year, some idiot tries to show off!"

I begin to get even more nervous, my fingernails digging into the wooden broom handle.

A student then hops off the edge, on her broom, and flies away.

"Who's next?" Volare asks, satisfied by the young witch's spirit.

A few more follow the routine, until only half of us are left. At this point, Akko looks very scared. She can hardly move, but is still getting through the line.

"When you get to the other side, just wait!" She calls out to the airborne students.

Akko moves to the front of the line.

"Good luck." I whisper to her.

"Ok, it's your turn now." The instructor says to Akko.

Instead of taking off, Akko just stares over the side, and gulps out of fear.

Clearly trying Volare's patience, the professor yells out

"What are ya waiting for?!"

Then promptly whacks Akko over the side with her broom.

She falls fast, almost hitting the ground, until she is halted in mid air, by her broom. She then flies up, so fast that I can barely see her. She can't be that bad at flying, something must be wrong with her broom. Her elevation reaches to that of the top of the tower, before coming to another stop. The force, causing her to spin around her broom multiple times.

I'm surprised that she hasn't vomited yet.

"Akko!" Lotte screams out, in fear of her friend.

Behind her, a student asks,

"What, exactly, is she doing?"

She's not good at magic. Isn't that obvious?

Akko seems to be winning the battle with her broom as again it stops, with her firmly on it. She smiles at her accomplishment, until she starts falling again.

Akko crashes into a tree, before roughly landing on the ground. Broken branches litter around her body, her broom falls on her head, the handle jabbing her skull, knocking Akko out.

"Akko! Are you okay?!" Lotte call out in concern.

Even Sucy looks uneasy at her fallen friend. That could have been me! Behind me, I hear someone mutter,

"Loser."

The teacher, along with Lotte and Sucy, grab Akko, and rush her to the nurse.

* * *

Walking down the hallway, I approach my dorm room, thinking about this event that just transpired.

It all happened so fast.

First we were all just waiting in line, tension growing within Akko and I. Then it was her turn, only to end up sustaining painful injuries. Then, Ms. Volare, too busy with Akko, sent us off to our dorms until next period started.

Quite an interesting day indeed.

Suddenly, I feel myself collide with someone, causing both of us to fall to the ground.

A bit confused, I eye the witch.

She is short, probably four inches shorter than me. She has long blue hair, done up in a ponytail, that's held together by a single bow.

She was also carrying several bags, electronic and robot parts litter the ground.

I get up and extend my hand to her.

"Sorry." I say to her.

She grabs it and I pull her up.

I expect a thank you, an I'm sorry for bumping into you, or at the very least an angry remark.

All she does is go on her hands and knees and gather up her machine parts.

I help her pick up her things and put it in her bags.

Still no thank you.

She begins to walk away.

I realize how hard it must be for a girl of her height to carry so many bags.

Not having anything else to do, I call out

"Wait, I'll help you."

She stops and stares at me blankly, thinking about my offer. Without a word, she nods and hands me two bags. I take them and walk with her.

As I follow her, I try to make small talk.

"So, what do you need these parts for?" I ask.

"…" Was all she said.

"What's your name?"

"…"

"Are you building something?"

"…"

The conversation continues on like this, until we finally reach her dorm room.

Her knocks on the door are answered by another student. This one has short messy blonde hair, green eyes, and looks to be taller than me.

She opens her mouth, about to say something, until she sees me. She gives off a smile, grabs me by my school uniform, and flings me into the room. Damn, just what have I gotten myself into?

She puts me into a headlock and turns to her short friend, who is closing the door. She asks jokingly,

"So, is this guy your sex buddy, or something?"

Both of us light up with embarrassment like a traffic light. The robot girl gives her friend an angry look. I wiggle out of her grasp. Yet again, it doesn't seem like she is going to speak.

"Ummm…yeah no. I was just helping her with her bags." I say.

"Oh that's cool. I'm Amanda and that's Jasminka." She points to a girl with pink hair ending in two ponytails. She is sitting on her bed, eating a bag of chips. On closer look, maybe one bag was an understatement, as I can see multiple bags strewn across her bed.

"I'm Theodore. And what's her name?" I point to the blue headed girl.

"She hasn't said a word to me this entire time."

"Well, no duh, she's a mute." Amanda says.

Well, that explains it.

Jasminka says the mystery girl's name. However, her voice is muffled under half a bag of chips, so all I can make out is,

"That's Cooper."

"What? Her name is Cooper?" I ask, dumbfounded by why they would name a girl Cooper.

Jasminka swallows her food and says, much more clearly this time.

"I said Constanze."

"Oh." I nod.

"By the way, shouldn't you three be in class?" I ask.

Amanda plops down in the bottom bunk bed, smiles and says,

"Screw school, it's boring as hell."

She does realize, she's in a school of magic, right? Boring isn't exactly the word I'd use.

"You helped Constanze with her bags?" Jasminka asks.

"Yeah."

"Wow Theodore, that was really nice. Here." She places a single chip in my hand.

"It's happy flavored." She says.

Happy flavored? What's that supposed to mean?

I pop it into my mouth.

Immediately, all my worries subside and are replaced by love and happiness.

"Ahh so good! The chip was a magnifico! And you're all so pretty it makes a my heart yea!"

Maybe a bit too much love.

"Jeez Jas, maybe you should of gave him half a chip." Amanda says.

Jasminka sighs,

"Ahhh, but I hate it when they act so reserved."

"No, no! I have never felt a like this before. I feel so free!"

At this point, it's the chip talking.

"Yeah, definitely too much." Amanda says.

Constanze nods in agreement.

"Ehh, why are you being such a big fat meanie pants? I even brought a the pasta."

Just what was in that chip?

"Who writes this guy's lines?" Amanda asks.

"Vee, no one. This all a comes straight from the heart!"

More like straight from the drugs that were surely laced in the chip.

Amanda turns to Constanze, who is currently fiddling with her robot parts.

"I think we should get him back to his dorm." She says.

Constanze nods and they both drag me out of the room, while I mumble about pasta.

It's night now, I'm sitting alone in my empty room, with a raging headache.

Who knew you could get withdrawal symptoms from snack food?

I wonder how Akko is doing.

She seemed hurt when they pulled her out, but those were only minor injuries. Cuts and bruises, we all get those. She will probably bounce back from it, she seems like the type of person to do so.

I don't know how long I was asleep for, but I do know that yet again I'm awoken by knocking.

You can't be serious, it's ridiculous! Haven't these people heard of beauty sleep?!

I roll out of bed, cursing whoever it is, leaving a mental note to put on my door a "Do not Disturb" sign on my door.

Maybe, an electric fence wouldn't hurt.

I open the door and face the person.

Seeing no one, I spot a note on the ground, but not a crude hand written note that you pass to your friends in class, but an official looking letter, with the seal of Luna Nova.

I pick up the note. Reading it to myself.

"Attention Students:

Tomorrow, all classes will be cancelled. Instead, go to the opening ceremony room, from the first day. Awaiting your arrival will be Ms. Ursula. Wait there until further instructions from the professor.

Signed with recognition-

Principal Holbrooke."

Whatever this could me, at least tomorrow won't be boring.


	5. Return to The Labyrinth

I open the doors to the opening ceremony room, where we were instructed to go.

I see Ursula sitting down on stage, waiting for the other students to enter.

Unsurprisingly, Diana is here, probably the first one to enter, maybe even before Ursula!

As she leans against a wall, I walk over to her.

"So, why do you think we were called here?" I ask.

"I'm not sure. Although, I believe it may have something to do with that labyrinth business we dealt with."

"Perhaps." I say, recalling the events of yesterday reminding myself of another affair. "Oh, and next time, don't give Akko such a hard time. I know she isn't the most talented student here, but you shouldn't have to berate her like that." I state.

She sighs.

"Oh please, don't tell me that you buy into that fraud, Chariot."

"I don't even know who she is." I admit.

Another sigh, and she explains.

"She was a stage performer, she used magic only to entertain, not to help, or change anything. A shame too, she had so much power. Well, with this new information, what's your opinion of her, now?"

"Nah, I thought I'd keep it to myself." I tell her. "Keeps the readers guessing."

She gives me a confused look, asking

"What readers?"

The remaining students filter in through the doors.

Once everyone has quieted down, Ursula explains why she brought us here.

"Students, you are probably wondering why I asked you to come here. I can assure you that whatever classes you have now have been canceled, no absent slips shall be given. Follow me, and all will be explained."

Or maybe not.

As we follow her down multiple flights of stairs, many students seem confused as to where we are going, but I recognize the pathway from before.

I guess Diana was right.

We go down the same hallways that Diana and I went down, and we all stop in the same place Diana and I stopped. In front of a huge metal door, with many locks and bolts.

Ursula walks over to a whiteboard already set up by the massive door.

The board seems to be enchanted, as it shows in animation everything she says.

"Today, you will put your skills to the test. This tower is built on top of an ancient labyrinth. Today's assignment will be to go down to the labyrinth, find a hidden treasure, and retrieve it. The rarer the item your team retrieves, the higher score your team gets. Furthermore, there are wild monsters roaming around the labyrinth, so please watch your step."

The witch being eaten at the end didn't exactly give us any confidence.

But Diana and I have braved the labyrinth before, nothing we can't handle.

But this time, I will have to face it alone, as Ursula said "Your team", and I don't have a team.

While most students seem intimidated at this challenge, Akko is burning with anticipation. Ursula continues,

"You have three hours. Use everything you've learned so far, and surprise me with your knowledge and talent. Good luck, begin."

With a flick of her wand, the huge metal doors open, and we all enter.

Everyone splits off from the group into their teams, and funnels down a corridor.

As I walk down one of the many hallways, I consciously split away from any of the groups.

If I tread where no other students are treading, then perhaps I have a greater chance of finding treasures, hopefully a rare item.

However, in my loneliness, I begin to think about the situation at hand.

All alone, in an underground maze, in search of treasure for school credit. Myself keeping in mind that even with that little duel with Diana, and that little incursion we had into the labyrinth already, I still am very green in both my knowledge and experience in magic, let alone combat magic.

And now, I'm on my own, no Diana to save me from any monsters this time.

Not exactly the way I thought I'd be spending my day.

No matter!

I am a person of Roman blood, my ancestors having been masters in magic, being crucial in the ruling of The Roman Republic, no matter how little we're mentioned in the history books.

We have a history dating back to generations, key players in the affairs of ancient Italy.

I'm sure that if I try hard enough, perhaps I can tap into some kind of hidden magic and pull myself ahead of the game.

One of these days, I shall be known as a first class wizard, my power ranging far and wide-

My train of thought is interrupted, by a high pitch scream that echoes throughout the hallway.

On the other side of the wall to my right, I hear Akko yell

"Over there!"

Whatever that was, it can't be good.

I start running forward, hoping that I could make a U turn and meet up.

I run into a huge, dark room with pillars decorating the walls.

Ahead of me is another hallway, leading to the room with Akko and the worrisome witch, Sucy and Lotte probably being nearby.

I begin to sprint through the room only to be stopped by the sight of, what looks like, a rhino.

It's largely gray and grayish green, expect for a red patch covering its back.

This rhino also has three horns, one on each cheek, with the third on its nose.

It turns in my direction, and charges.

I spin around and start running back to where I came from.

This thing is too fierce for me to handle! I barely know any magic!

The sounds of its iron hooves clank against the stone ground, growing louder and louder as it nears.

I begin to engage in a sprint for my life, now gasping for air as my energy begins to dwindle.

Eventually, I will get winded, and then what? I'll die tired! Enough is enough!

In desperation, I spin around, hoping to cast a lightning spell straight at it.

During the turning, my wand strikes its right cheek horn.

The spell explodes upon impact, shattering the horn, the sheer force throwing us both back.

While tumbling around, I accidentally let go of my wand, but somehow able to land on my feet.

I twist my head around, spotting my discarded wand on the floor.

Full of fear and adrenaline, I lung at it, landing hard on my stomach, clumsily snatching it from the ground.

I twist my head towards the monster as it lets out a terrifying roar, charging towards me with great force.

I try to get up, the blunt side of its nose horn slamming against my chest.

I let out a cry of pain as it launches me in the air, an aching and throbbing chest carrying with me.

Once I hit the ground, I stagger and scramble to my feet.

I quickly begin to feel over my chest, fear and worry with whatever injuries I have plaguing me.

Thankfully, no major injuries can be found.

Being hit by the blunt side, and not the horrible point, has only left me with a large dark blue and purple bruise on my chest.

I hear an almost scraping noise coming from behind me.

Twisting around, I see the creature scratching its paw against the stone floor, intending for another charge, a small trickle of blood dripping out of its broken horn and splattering on the dark floor.

With one hand rubbing my injured chest, I point my want at the beast, in preparation of what's to come.

The monster lets out another roar and begins to gallop at me once again.

Rather than run, I fire a single bolt of lightning, this time hitting its right eye.

The eyeball ruptures, killing it instantly.

The once dangerous beast topples over, its lifeless body dragging against the floor.

It slides to a stop, a pool of its blood beginning to form from its two wounds.

With the creature done with, a clasp my hands against my knees, catching my breath and allowing the adrenaline to run its course.

As I do this, I analyze the dead monster before me.

I wonder just what kind of power this thing really had.

Is it a top class monster, dangerous to all, or something that could've been killed with little effort.

No doubt Diana could've dispatched the thing with ease, but what about any other student?

I hope that this was a first class creature and that's why I had such a hard time with it.

I notice a slight amount of movement coming from the pool of blood.

Upon closer inspection, I see that the liquid is rippling ever so slightly.

Now hearing heavy footsteps coming from the hallway, I stand straight up with fear, twisting my head towards the sound.

My eyes rapidly scan through the nearby hallway, the noise growing louder, but the room being too dark to make out any form of image.

As whatever's making that noise gets closer, I hear ragged breathing, deep and heavy, just like its footsteps.

The giant entered the hallway, the putrid odor of his body burning my nose. His fat shakes as he took his massive steps towards me.

Its one massive eye, implying Cyclopia, twists disgustingly at me, at the dead creature, then back at me.

"Who are you?!" It demands, its voice bellowing and echoing throughout the labyrinth.

I begin to shiver, the great beast already mutilating my nerves.

This is different then the rhino creature from before, so much different.

It's physical features aside, the fact that it can talk and is fully conscience and cognitive is much worse than anything else.

With an animal, such as the rhino, it cant talk, it can't think. All it can do is act on instinct.

However, the Cyclops can talk, it can think, and it can do much more than act on instinct.

What I want to do is run away, flee from this room, this labyrinth, and leave everything behind.

Sure this is worth grade, but a grade isn't worth risking my life over!

However, I know from folklore that a Cyclops has a short temper. The slightest thing could set them off.

Rather than run and scream, I decide to just be honest with the beast.

Maybe I can appeal to its better nature, if it has any.

"I'm just a student…taking a test-"

"And killing my pet!" It shouts at me, rage filling its voice.

I really want to run now, but I need to maintain face and control my nerves.

Emotions are infectious, if I can remain calm then perhaps the beast will as well.

"Of course...that poor creature." I say, fake mourning filling my voice. "I was sad to put it down. But it was attacking me, that's self defense, a natural right. It's practically law."

The Cyclops huffs and grumbles, sitting down, shaking the ground under its great weight.

"Here, we have no law! Here, we do what we want!"

"So…uh…you live with anyone?" I ask, wondering if there are any other Cyclops's I need to worry about.

"No, my comrades are in The Big Caves."

Wherever that is, I hope it's far away from here.

"And where are your parents?"

"My mother was a Cyclops, and my father is the mighty god, Mendacius."

The who?

"I am the weakest, Polyphemus." He continues.

He eyes the satchel on my hip.

"What did you bring?" He asks.

I get an idea.

If I can do this right, all will be well again, I can collect some item, and get the hell out of here.

"A gift." I say, digging into my satchel.

I pull out the poison I made on the first day of school.

"What is it?" He asks, not knowing what lies within the vial.

"Come closer, you'll see." I say, trying to contain my anxiety.

He leans in, bringing his face close to me, so close I can see his eye in detail.

His breath is foul, but I'm pretty sure they don't make a toothbrush for a Cyclops.

I open the bottle, hoping that Sucy was right about this being a poison.

He leans in even closer, his large eye but a few meters from me.

I suddenly splash the liquid directly into his pupil.

A painful and agonizing hissing sound comes from his eye.

He lets out a horrible shriek of pain, violently throwing himself backwards.

His large body crashes into the wall, the vibration knocking me off my feet.

"Ohhh, my eye!" He screams in pain, his hands tearing at the melting crater in his face. "My eye! What have you done to me?! I cannot see!"

He stumbles back up, and starts darting his head back and forth, blood and pus from his wound splashing out in all directions.

"Where are you?!" He screams, foaming at the mouth in rage. "Where are you?! I'll kill you and eat you piece by piece!"

In anger, he begins to slam his huge fists against the ground, cracking and shaking the stone floor.

One fist comes down and is barely diverted, as I role to the right.

Hearing this movement, the monster slams his fists at me over and over, each time narrowly missing.

I eventually roll my way into a corner, trapping myself.

He grabs me with his large and sweaty fingers.

As they tighten around my torso, I begin to panic, kick, scream, the full works.

My arms pinned by his muscular fingers, he pulls me towards his mouth, his already foul smelling breath hitting me almost to the point of unconsciousness.

He drops me in his mouth, his hot tongue wrapping around my body.

The stench is what I notice first, then the humid air, then the wetness and stickiness of saliva, and finally the blunt teeth biting into me.

Feeling and fearing my death drawing near, I manage to point my wand at the roof of the thing's mouth.

The Cyclops slides its tongue as I fire a bolt of lightning.

My shot misses, slamming against one of its teeth.

It shatters the tooth upon impact, shrapnel from the bone flying around.

The electric current of my spell mixing with the saliva of the creature, filling this fleshy cave with the horrible static.

I reel back and forth, the force and throw of the lightning filling my body with its current.

The very hair on my body begins to burn, my heart and head beating and pounding with a constant wave of pain.

I let out a moan, gasping for air, as the horrible feelings eventually pass, the power of the current diluting with time.

With a grunt, I painfully raise my wand once again at the roof of its mouth, hoping this time it will go differently.

I launch a bolt of lightning, shattering and rupturing the skin.

Flashes of blue and purple light up the things mouth, growing dimmer and dimmer as the spell goes deeper and deeper into the thing's skull.

The Cyclops lets out a pain filled wail, digging his fingers into his mouth, in a vain effort to pull me out.

A loud crack comes from above, my spell finally burrowing into his brain cavity.

His fingers go limp, collapsing onto the floor, half of my body hanging out of its mouth.

I lay still for a bit, allowing myself to recover both physically and mentally from this fight.

I still feel a slight tingle throughout my body, clearly a holdover from my failed first attempt of the lightning spell.

Using both arms, I pull myself out of its mouth, and stand on my feet.

As if hit with another bolt of lightning, flashes of pain and sting runs through my body, causing me to fall sideways.

I manage to catch myself on the stonewall, letting out a grunt of shock as I do.

Using the wall as support, I begin to limp my way to the other side of the room, to the U turn, to Akko and any others that might be there.

I did hear a scream, and a line from Akko.

She's there, or at least nearby.

Hopefully, she can help. Maybe she has some sort of restoration potion on hand.

Even if I may be limping and in a weakened state, I can't help but muster up a small smile as I hobble through the hall.

Whatever doubts I had in my power in magic and self defense are now completely dead.

I have demonstrated my own might, and now the stain of doubt in my subconscious has been wiped clean, and the power and iron will of my Roman blood has been proven!

As I continue my struggled movement, I can't help but see something.

Next to the exit, I see a pestle sitting on a table. The Pestle of Jennifer the Witch!

I thought the thing was just a myth. Just a fake internet artifact I found, while looking up spells.

As stated from the internet, it can crush the toughest of ingredients, as if it were paste.

This has to be worth some major points.

But, where is the other part, the mortar?

That piece can hold a mixture of any temperature, from the coldest of ice to the hottest of lava.

I grab the pestle and place it in my satchel.

This will be the item I turn into Ursula.

As I make the turn, I call out

"Akko, Lotte, Sucy?"

Instead of seeing them, I see an empty room with a massive hole in the floor.

Upon closer look, the hole is covered by a weird sticky black liquid. Next to it is an empty potion bottle and a discarded satchel. Embroidered on the strap is the name of the owner, Sucy.

She must have a healing potion in here!

I begin to dig into here bag, pulling out all kinds of poisons, but just poisons. Finally, at the bottom of the bag, under a layer of dust, I find it.

I immediately chug it down, her expertise in alchemy soothing my wounds instantly.

I put both of the empty bottles into her bag, and sling it over my shoulder.

I'll give this back to her later.

Now, what happened here, and why is there a huge hole in the floor?!

I hover over the pit, all that can be seen is pitch black darkness.

I call out to them again.

"Akko, Lotte, Sucy?"

I get a response, however this definitely did not come from either of the three, or from any human for that matter.

A loud, menacing, bone shaking roar erupts from the hole, as soon as I call out. Um…ok…time to go!

I fast walk out of the labyrinth, and back to the entrance.

By now, a handful of witches are waiting for the rest to come back, none I recognize.

I assume we're going to show Ursula our treasuries once everyone arrives.

The waiting witches are comparing their finds with each other.

One of them approaches me.

"So, what did you find?" She asks.

"The Pestle of Jennifer the Witch." I respond. "What about you?"

She lifts up her find, a huge silver sword.

"I found a Vorpal Bla-"

She is cut off, as a loud roar erupts from the labyrinth, in the same tone I heard before. Some students begin to cower, while others ask questions to their peers.

"What was that" and "What's happening?" are the most common ones.

Another growl, and suddenly some giant creature slams through the door, its huge body stuck in the doorframe.

"What is that thing?!" Someone cries out.

It's some kind of dragon!

Ursula slams her fist on the button next to the entrance.

Huge metal rods slide horizontally, pinning the dragon in place.

A nearby witch declares,

"Now's our chance! Blast him!"

Every witch, including me, pull out our wands.

We all fire at the same time, our magic swirling together. Ice, fire, lightning, and some that I couldn't recognize, all align into a single flurry.

We got it now! There's no way it can survi-

My thoughts are cut off, as a huge explosion goes off, throwing me to the ground. My vision is obscured by a layer of dust, but my hearing is still fine.

Under the sounds of people screaming and the dragon, I can make out Ursula's voice.

"Emergency! Evacuate! Everyone, get out of the building!"

As the dust settles, I catch a glimpse of the destruction.

The door leading to the labyrinth is completely destroyed, and multiple pillars are toppled over. The dragon is also walking towards me!

I have no idea if it sees me or not, but if I don't move, I'll be crushed under its great feet.

I begin to back up in a panicked frenzy, still lying on my back.

Each step from the beast cracks the ground and echoes throughout the room.

The dragon closes the gap between us with each step.

I let out a scream, as its foot begins to fall on me.

I close my eyes, hoping and praying for any intervention.

I feel a tug on my hand, and a rush of air.

I open my eyes, only to be met by a blonde haired figure on a broom, her hand holding mine.

"Diana!" I cry out.

"You don't need to thank me. It's simple my duty to evacuate the students safely." She says.

"If there is anything I can do-" I begin.

"If you're really grateful, you could help me evacuate the others."

It's the least I can do.

"O-of course!"

She lands me on the ground, giving me enough time to get off, and then with that she flies away.

Just like that. Out of the tower…through a huge hole left by the dragon, having no concern about her own safety.

Jeez, she really is amazing.

The sound of sobbing echoes from the tower staircase.

I run up the stairs in search of the witch.

I find her halfway up the tower, curled up in the corner.

"Come on, you can't stay there forever." I say, crouched in front of her.

She sniffles a bit, still hesitating, before getting up.

"Great, now let's-"

I'm cut off, as a huge explosion can be heard.

The wall cracks as if something huge had collided with it.

On the other side of the wall, I hear Akko yelling,

"Sucy's poison made him even stronger?!"

We're on the fifteenth floor.

I feel something hard and small hit my head.

Looking up, I see the ceiling has multiple growing cracks, and is occasionally dropping loose pieces of stone.

I turn to the girl.

"Oh, no." I say quietly.

I begin to shove her ahead of me.

We run down the stairs, to the floor below us.

The ceiling above ours crashes down.

Well, at least we're safe.

Maybe I spoke too soon.

The ceiling above us, not being able to support the fallen one, begins to crack. We repeat these steps, running down the stairs just as the ceiling falls.

The next set of ceiling unsurprisingly, cannot hold all the stone above it. It falls before we get a chance to stop.

Now, we are constantly running down each set of stairs, each ceiling falling faster than the last.

"What do we do?!" She cries out.

"Just keep moving!" I answer back.

On one of our flights of stairs, she trips, causing her to fall on me.

As we topple down the stairs, we stop sliding in the worst possible place, the middle of the room.

The ceiling begins its periodic breaking, and drops on us. I can only imagine how much weight it has now. Well, I almost died twice today, might as well almost die a third time.

Suddenly the rocks stop falling, inches away from us.

What could have stopped it?

I note that the floating rocks have a yellow aura around it. As if someone is using magic.

I look to the girl. She's not casting the spell, in fact she is clinging onto me, out of sheer terror.

The rocks are then launched out of a hole in the wall.

What the-

"Diana!" The clingy one calls out.

I turn around, and sure enough, the blonde is standing there, with a broom in one hand and a wand in the other.

The girl continues.

"Diana, what's going on?! Why is there a dragon here?!"

"A dragon must have wandered out of the labyrinth." The blonde declares.

"What are we going to do?! Maybe we could use magic against it!"

Is this girl serious? Didn't she see what happened before?

"No good, that thing feeds on magical energy." Diana says, her voicing rising.

"Then, how are we supposed to kill that thing?!" She screams.

"Wel, how am I supposed to know?!" Diana snaps at her, the stress of keeping every student on campus safe, getting the better of her.

"That's not a bad question, Diana." I remind her.

The blond thinks for a bit, regaining her composure as she does.

"Okay…okay…we could use The Shiny Rod." Diana says.

"Of course, The Shiny Rod!" The young witch beams.

"What's that?" I ask.

"A rod used by Shiny Chariot, sort of like her wand. I last saw it in Akko's possession. If I can turn it into The Shiny Arc, it will be enough to take out the dragon." Diana explains.

"What's The Shiny Arc?" I ask.

The other girl answers.

"Think of a bow on magical steroids."

Well that answers that.

"If there are no more questions, I'm going to enact my plan." Diana says.

Once it's obvious that there are no more questions, she rides her broom out the hole in the wall.

The remaining witch turns to me.

"What should we do now?" She asks.

"Go and help the others, I'll help Diana."

She nods, and runs downstairs, this time with no falling ceiling.

I follow but instead of going back to the labyrinth entrance like her, I go out of the tower all together.

Now, let's see what's going on…WHAT?!

The dragon is on top of the tower!

If it gets the Sorcerer's Stone, we're all screwed!

I hear an ear splitting scream coming from above. Upon looking up, I see a small blue dot, too far away to show any features, falling.

As it gets closer to the ground, its characteristics come into view. Pointy witch hat, glasses, ponytail…that's Ursula!

I point my wand at her, casting a spell to stop her falling.

As planned, her descent decelerates, falling slower and slower, until she eventually stops mere inches from the ground.

She gets up with wet eyes and says,

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I was trying to get The Shiny Rod from Akko when…"

Her voice trails off, as she catches my off guard look.

"What?" She asks.

It's been a few hours since I last saw her, but I'm pretty sure she looked different.

"I don't remember you having orange hair."

As I said, her normally blue hair is replaced by an orange color.

She grabs a thread of her hair, analyzing it.

Her face then goes red with embarrassment, and she quickly puts her hat back on.

"If I explain, will you promise not to tell anyone?! Especially not Akko or Diana!"

Just what is this girl hiding? By the looks of it, she just dyed her hair, but given her whole secretive nature on it, I doubt it.

I nod my head.

She takes several deep breaths, and after a long pause, she reveals herself.

"I'm Shiny Chariot."

There's that name again.

Even though Diana gave me a brief description her earlier, I still am rather lost on just who she is.

Even still, she seems to provide some sort of friction between Akko and Diana.

I'm starting to get sick and tired of all this drama surrounding her.

"The way you said it, you sound like I should be ashamed. Really, I don't care." I bluntly tell her.

She looks surprised.

"Really?" She asks.

"Really, all I care about is taking out this dragon."

Her face lights up with shock.

"Oh no, I forgot!"

She jumps onto her broom, and quickly says.

"I have to go now, and help Akko. Theodore, you stay here and cover me."

Then she flies away, towards the tower, towards Akko, towards the dragon.

Just how am I supposed to cover her from here?

Part of me thinks she just wanted to ditch me, thinks I can't handle myself.

Or maybe she's just using her teacher instincts. Keep your students out of harm's way, even if it means putting yourself in danger.

I can't help but smile, what a great teacher.

Without warning, I hear a loud disembodied voice.

"Never forget, believing is your magic!"

Then, the dragon suddenly lurches downwards, and a huge cement block falls to the ground, as if struck by it.

I then see a small black dot falling downwards, towards the dragon's mouth!

Is that another person?!

I pull out my wand, ready to do the same thing that I did to Ursula.

The dot suddenly turns into a bright light of green and yellow. What the hell is going on?!

Another disembodied voice can be heard, this time in Akko's tone.

"Macmur! Micmur! Mactoral!"

The light grows even brighter, as the final words are spoken.

"Shiny Arc!"

A massive stream of light flies into the dragon's mouth. The beast expands like a balloon, and bursts into an aura of fireworks, that rain out with brilliance.

I stare at the array, awe struck at all the colors and lights.

The fire show continues, many students that were once hiding, sensing that the danger is over, flying back towards the school.

The disaster has been averted, and hopefully the injuries had been kept to a minimum.

Without a broom on me, I begin to walk back towards the school, my eyes never leaving the firework show.

* * *

 **Author's Note: I noticed while writing this chapter, two people favorited my fan fiction in one day! That's just amazing! Also Trigger announced that they will make Little Witch Academia into a full length anime series! Also a little contest for all my adoring fans: Leave a comment on what you think Theodore Sempronia is like. What he looks like, what is personality is, his interests, and all that other stuff. This will make myself sure that I introduced him with the characteristics that I designed for him. The winner, or winners depending on how many of you get it right, will get a shout out in my next chapter. Good luck!**


	6. The Magical Sleepover

**Author's Note: Thanks for the submissions! The winner is PagetDaPanda. Check out his account for some juicy Little Witch Academia fanfiction.**

* * *

"And don't forget to do your homework!" Ms. Europa calls out, as we exit her classroom, and move about the hallway.

"Well, that was boring." Sucy states.

I raise an eyebrow at her claim.

"Oh, really? I didn't realize that learning about blood magic was boring."

She shakes her head.

"No, not that. She could've at least showed us how to do it."

"But isn't blood magic…evil?" Lotte whispers out the last word.

"It's only evil when it's used for evil." I respond.

"Yeah, that makes sense." Sucy says sarcastically to my statement

I roll my eyes.

"Oh please, it's so simple even Akko could understand it."

I turn to her, expecting some kind of comeback.

However all I see is Akko's face, scrunched up in deep thought

"Akko deep thinking? Huh, never thought I'd see the day." Sucy says.

"I just hope she finds what she's looking for." Lotte says warmly.

We walk down the flight of stairs and sit in our regular seats, beginning our break.

With our main talker Akko off in thought, the rest of us crack open our books.

Sucy is reading "The Alchemist", Lotte is reading "Buckland's Book of Spirit Communications", and I'm reading "Just Like a Roman."

After a bit of reading, I peek my eyes over the top of my book, at Akko.

Yup, still thinking.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy it when people use their heads, but it's been a solid ten minutes of this, and for Akko that's a long time!

Now, where was I? Oh, yeah.

"The queen flew on the wings of an eagle. She had a VCR but wanted a DVD, so the gods sent munchkins to hypnotize her water skis. So, she took her peanut butter sandwich for a walk, the end."

Wait, I don't remember that in Roman history. Must be a typo, or something similar-

"I GOT IT!" Akko screams out, interrupting my reading.

"What have you got?" Sucy asks boredly, her eyes still planted in her book, not at all interested.

"Well, remember how the principle gave the school a week off for defeating the dragon?" Akko asks.

"Yeah, and it doesn't start until tomorrow. Your point?" She asks.

I was thinking we could have…..A HERO'S SLUMBER PARTY!" Akko says, with pride in her idea.

She continues,

"I was thinking we should have a celebration! After all it's not every day a dragon attacks-"

"It was yesterday." I say, cutting her off.

"We should totally have a sleepover tonight! Me, Lotte, Sucy, and Ted!" She continues, ignoring me.

This talk of what transpired yesterday makes me think of someone else.

Diana.

She was the one who saved my life on two occasions that day, and still had time to evacuate the students, preventing further damage.

She's a hero.

"Aren't you forgetting someone, Akko?" Someone who played a pivotal role in taking out the dragon?" I ask.

"I don't think Ms. Ursula is allowed to sleep over."

"No Akko, not Ms. Ursula. I'm talking about Diana."

"What?! Why Diana?! She's so stubborn and vain, no thank you!"

"Akko, she saved my life twice that day. Call me crazy, but I think she's earned a spot at your sleepover." I tell her.

She groans at this statement, but overall sees my point.

"Fine, fine, she can come." She quickly says, still irritated by my wish. "So, we have me, Lotte, Sucy, Ted, and Diana. Am I missing anyone?"

"I don't think so." Lotte says.

Akko turns to me.

"Alright! Ted, come by our dorm before dark, and I'll invite Diana, although I doubt she'll come!"

* * *

At seven P.M., outside of Akko's dorm, I knock on her door.

So, just what are we going to do at this sleepover?

I doubt we're going to do the stereotypical girl stuff.

You know, talk about boys we like, do each other's nails, and style our hair.

The only one I can imagine doing that is Diana, but just barely.

Still though, the very thought of sleeping in a room with a group of girls still gives me a shiver of discomfort.

Maybe I can leave early, or just sleep as far away as possible from them.

If any school administrator happened to do a surprise inspection, that's the best position for me to be in.

Oh boy, some boys would just love to be in my situation!

After a few more knocks, the door opens, revealing Akko, Lotte, and Sucy in pajamas.

Akko is wearing purple shorts and a plain white shirt, Lotte is wearing a light blue shirt with matching comfy pants, and Sucy is wearing a white nightgown and nightcap.

"Ted, you made it! Although you are a bit late." Akko says.

Well, it would've been impolite to refuse.

"Yeah." I say, still a bit uncomfortable by this new situation.

"So, what did you bring?" Sucy asks.

"Just a sleeping bag."

She cocks her head to one side.

"No pajamas?"

"What do you-" I cut myself off, realizing what she's getting at.

Damn, no pajamas. That's one thing that I didn't bring to Luna Nova.

I normally sleep in my underwear, but that's not really an option here.

Whatever, I'll just sleep in my clothes.

"They're somewhere, out there." I say, trying to dodge the question.

"Well, make yourself at home!" Akko says, either picking up on my que or simply just wanting to change the subject.

As I roll out my sleeping bag on the floor, I notice someone missing.

"Where's Diana?" I ask.

Akko puffs out her cheeks, putting her hands on her hips.

"She probably thought she was too good for us, she's such a privileged, spoiled-"

The rest of her rant is cut off by a few sharp knocks coming from the door.

Akko spins around, facing the door.

"What was that?" She asks, in a hushed whisper.

"The door…what's the problem?" I ask.

"Just think about it. A boy spending time with three girls in their dorm. If the principle finds out, we're all dead."

More knocks follow, each one causes Akko to shrink back a little more, until she is on the other side of the room.

Damn, might as well open the door.

The longer we wait, the worse our punishment will be.

I unwillingly grasp the handle, and turn it. I close my eyes, bracing myself for whatever punishment a magical school can bring.

"Well, it's about time." I hear in a familiar tone.

I open my eyes and am met by the face of Diana.

She is wearing a black night shirt with white piping, and matching shorts.

"What?! Diana, you came?!" Announces a shocked Akko.

"Well, it would've been impolite to refuse." Diana explains.

Great minds think alike, eh Diana?

With everyone here, Akko directs us all to sit down in a circle in the middle of the room.

To my right is Diana and to my left is Lotte.

"So, since we're all here, how about we play True Love's Kiss?" Akko suggests.

"What's that?" Lotte asks.

"It's like pin the tail on the donkey, but instead of tails we lather up our lips in lipstick. And instead of donkeys we use posters of cute boys! My favorite is Solomon Olds from Family Force Five! He's such a hotty!"

"Oh my." Diana gasps. "Is this what you do in your free time rather than studying?"

Not five minutes in, and insults are already flying?

"Nah. What other games do you have in mind?" I ask, hoping that my question would stop Akko from any retort to Diana's question.

"Ok then, how about Cootie Catcher?" Akko asks.

Looks like it worked.

But still, that name makes me say no.

"I don't even want to know what that is." I say.

"Yeah same, I'll pass." Sucy agrees.

"I knew you were childish Akko, but I had no idea it was this bad." Diana adds.

"Look Diana! The only reason why you're here is because Ted convinced me!" Akko says.

"Come on girls, slumber parties are supposed to be fun." Lotte reminds us, trying to keep the peace.

"So, what do you suggest?" Diana asks, herself growing a bit impatient by all this conflict.

"Well…I was thinking we could play a game that my mother and I used to play." Lotte informs us meekly.

"What's that?" I ask, referring to her idea.

"It's a game called "Random Facts", we each take turns saying random facts."

I could see Lotte playing that game.

"And how do you win?" Akko asks, growing a bit excited by the prospect of a game drawing near.

"Oh, there are no winners." Lotte informs us. "Mother says it's not fair to the losers. She says we should all cooperate, rather than compete."

Well, her mom needs some aloe vera, because she clearly feels the Bern.

I can already tell that this is going to be a long night.

"Fine, I'll go first." I say, staring the game. "During World War Two, an American plane with nine passengers crashed on a Japanese island. Eight were eaten, while one escaped. The survivor was George W. Bush."

"Um Theodore…when playing the game, we don't say those kinds of facts. It's best to remember the good and forget the bad." Lotte says.

I mentally facepalm myself.

Yup, definitely a long night.

"I'll go." Diana says.

She thinks for a bit before saying,

"My last name is a type of banana."

Of course, Diana banana. That would explain the blond hair also.

"Oh yeah, well the guy who played Cooper in Jurassic Park Three was fifty-one at the time." Akko says.

"What? He looked like he was in his thirties." I say in disbelief, myself remembering vividly the greatness of the movie and character Cooper.

"You guys are really enjoying it!" Lotte beams, clearly happy with her working idea.

"How about this? Dolphins can recognize and admire themselves in mirrors." Sucy says.

"So, dolphins are narcissists?" I ask.

"Basically." She responds.

"India's "Go Air" airline only hires female flight attendants because they're lighter, so they save up to $500,000 per years in fuel." Diana says.

At this point, we are all talking at once, so it's impossible to tell which witch said which.

"Crying makes you feel better, reduces stress, and helps to keep the body healthy."

"It has been recently proven that the Romans discovered America."

"A bolt of lightning is six times hotter than the sun."

"Since Venice is built on an island, the city is slowly sinking."

"No matter how much trash there is, it's still trash."

"When a person cries, if the first tear drop comes from the right side, it's happiness. If it comes from the left eye, it's pain."

"It's only an island, if you look at it from the water."

This goes on for another hour or so, until we all run out of facts.

Tired and yawning, Diana turns to me.

"What time is it?" She asks.

I look at the alarm clock by the bunk bed.

"It's almost midnight." I inform her.

"Oh my." Diana says, disbelieved by the movement of time. "ell I best get back to my dorm."

"I think you're missing the point of a sleepover." I joke at her.

She leans forward and whispers in my ear.

"I wouldn't be surprised if Akko did something to me in my sleep."

"Good point." I say, while nodding.

She stands up from the circle and moves towards the door.

"Well, it's getting late, so I best be off."

After saying her goodbyes, she walks out, and closes the door.

"Yeah, and good riddance." Akko mutters.

"Was it that bad?" I ask, in a mocking tone.

She mutters something under her breath that I can't make out.

"Now that Diana is gone, let's get to the real meat of this sleepover." Sucy says.

"What." I ask.

"Ghost stories."

"Uh…are they going to be scary?" Lotte asks in fear.

"Well, of course." She replies. "They wouldn't be any fun if they weren't!"

"Oh, I'll go first." Akko says "There was once a very hungry hitchhiker, who was lost at night. He saw some light coming in from a house, so he walked in, but found it deserted, except for one fridge. He slowly opened the door and realized…the fridge was empty!"

"Hey, that's pretty good." Lotte says, clearly lying.

"Your stories suck almost as much as your game ideas." Sucy says.

"Oh yeah, and you could do better?!" Akko demands.

Sucy clears her voice, and with a sadistic grin says

"This one's my favorite, it's called Sweet Apple Massacre-"

"God no Sucy, don't tell that one!" I interrupt her, recognizing this story. "This fanfiction is rated T, not M!"

"But, I want to hear it." Lotte says.

"Look in up on your own time." I tell her, hoping that she doesn't

"…Fine, I'll do another one." Sucy shrugs. "This one is called 'Aren't You Glad You Didn't Turn on the Lights?' At a college, there were two friends. One was Misha, a party animal, the other was Shizune, a studious student. One night, Misha was having a party in their dorm room, so Shizune went to the library to study for an upcoming test. After a few hours of this, she realized that she forgot her science book in her dorm. Upon going inside the room, she heard her roommate moaning, followed by heavy breathing. Assuming Misha was having a "College Relationship", Shizune grabbed her book and ran out without turning on the light, as to not disturb them. She went back to her dorm a few hours later, and went to sleep. Upon waking up, Shizune found her friend dead and written on the wall in blood was the phrase "Aren't you glad you didn't turn on the light?"

"Wow, that was really creepy!" Akko says.

"I k-know right" Lotte stutters out.

"I got one, Sucy." I say, unfazed by her story.

"Let's have it." She says.

"There was a little girl named Hanako. Her parents were driving out of town for the weekend, so they bought her a dog to keep her company. One night, she was awoken by a dripping sound. She got up, and turned off the tap, and went back to bed, with her hand over the edge, as the dog licked her fingers. The dripping sound didn't stop, so she decided to ignore it, and go to sleep. The next night she heard the dripping again, and tried to pinpoint the sound. She looked around, and found the sound coming from within her cupboard. She opened it up, only to find her dog dead with its throat cut open, and a note that read "Humans can lick too."

At this point, Akko and Lotte are sitting in the bottom bunk, white as ghosts, and clinging to each other like human safety blankets.

Sucy looks at me with challenging eyes and says

"All right Ted, rapid fire. After working a hard day, I came home to see my girlfriend cradling our child. I didn't know which was more frightening, seeing my dead girlfriend and stillborn child, or knowing that someone broke into my apartment to place them there."

Now getting what she mean, I counter her story.

"There was a picture in my phone of me sleeping. I live alone."

"Sleep did not come to me easily that night in the cabin in the woods, for the portraits on the wall only portrayed the deformed, the decrepit, and the damned. Sleep has never come easily to me ever again, for when I woke up, I found no portraits, only windows."

"The grinning face stared at me from the darkness beyond my bedroom window. I live on the 14th floor."

"Don't be scared of monsters, just look for them. Look to your left, to your right, under your bed, behind your dresser, in your closet, but never look up, she hates being seen."

"You hear your mom calling you into the kitchen. As you are heading downstairs you hear a whisper from the closet saying "Don't go down there honey, I heard it too."

"Jeez, how do you know so many stories?" Sucy asks, pausing our contest.

"When you look up spells, the internet tends to steer you towards the occult." I explain to her.

"Sweet." She says while smiling.

"Can you two stop?! I actually want to sleep tonight." Akko whines.

"Oh Akko, I don't know how you can be sleepy, I don't think I'll ever fall asleep again!" Lotte says, with wide eyes.

"Um…don't worry Lotte, I'll sleep next to you." Akko says, trying to hide her fear, but I can see the look of terror in her eyes.

With no more words, we all fall asleep.

Akko and Lotte sleeping in the bottom bunk, Sucy sleeping in her own bed, and me on the floor.

I was lying when I said I was sleeping, I'm actually waiting for everyone to go to sleep. After an hour of lying on the floor, staring at the ceiling, Akko and Lotte's adrenaline finally wears off, and both are fast asleep.

I get out of my sleeping bag, stand up, and walk towards Sucy's bed.

"Hey Sucy, wake up." I whisper, while nudging her.

She stirs awake.

"You better have a good reason for waking me, or your next meal will contain a seasoning of cyanide!" She hisses out, still groggy from sleep.

"I just notice that you're missing something…a certain satchel perhaps?" I ask.

"Yeah, I lost my poison bag in the labyrinth. What about it?"

I take out her satchel that was hiding in my sleeping bag, and toss it on her lap.

With half opened eyes, she nonchalantly says

"I guess that's a decent enough reason to wake me."

And with that, she rolls back in bed, much to my shock.

Don't get me wrong, it's not like I expected to get a hug, a kiss, and a smooch out of that. I at least expected her to show a little more gratitude, but hey, this is Sucy we're talking about, the girl who threatened to kill me just for waking her up!

Whatever.

I attempt to ease my way back into my sleeping bag, but slip and slam my elbow painfully against the wood floor.

I let out a cry of pain, stirring the others awake.

"What was that?!" Lotte screams out.

"It's the monster! Whatever you do, don't look up! She hates being seen!" Akko yells, both of them in a panic.

"And don't look under your bed! Remember, humans can lick too! Humans can lick too!" Lotte screeches out.

With another sadistic joke in mind, Sucy uncaps one of her potions from her satchel, and turns it upside down, allowing the liquid to drip onto the floor.

"AH, DON'T CHECK THE CUPBOARD!" Akko and Lotte both scream out.

Making things worse, a nearby owl flies past the window, casting a shadow.

"There it is, in the window!" Lotte cries out. "A dark figure cast a shadow, its body contorted by a hideous hairdo!"

"It's the mad logger, who chops down trees, and hacks them into coffee tables." I joke

Both Akko and Lotte scream and cling to each other at the very idea.

Jeez, you two, take a joke.

"It's the provoked opera singer, who woos little boys and girls with her enchanting auras." Sucy says, joining in on the fun.

The two go white with fear, and pass out.

Sucy and I exchange amused glances, both of us content that they stopped screaming like banshees during The Black Death.

I lay back down in my sleeping bag, hoping that no other students heard the cries.

It's kind of funny.

When I first entered this school a few months ago, I never thought I'd be sleeping in the same room with two passed out girls!

Again, I'm in another situation many guys would strive for.

Well, the only thing to do now is figure out how to enjoy this week off.


	7. God's Best Friend

After a few months into my schooling at Luna Nova, I've come to realize something. Whether it was during my battle with Diana, or the fight against the Cyclops, I've done some pretty serious damage to myself.

After making that case to the destruction teacher, Ms. Faralda, she said that I definitely have the raw power needed for spellcraft, but I need to study and practice.

That's what brings me here, deep in the forest that encircles the school.

I take aim at one of the many trees that surrounds me and cast my signature lightning spell.

The lightning punches a hole straight through the tree, unfortunately it still stands.

I sigh at my failed attempt, as I wonder how Akko would've faired.

I still can't believe that she took out the dragon. Her, the girl who has a Shiny Chariot action figure collection hidden under her bed!

I point my wand at a new tree, readying myself. Come on, I can do this. If I can handle a Cyclops, I can surely handle a tree.

As I am about to cast my spell, I hear light footsteps from behind me.

Upon turning around, I see a dog, a boxer to be exact, with a bit of back fat.

It stops and stares at me with focused eyes.

Let's make this study session a bit more entertaining, shall we?

"Oh an audience? Come to watch in awe as I perform the most spectacular feats of magic ever witnessed by mankind?" I ask.

The dog sits down, its tail wagging with excitement.

I guess it does.

"Now prepare yourself for the magical mastery and show stopping abilities of the great and powerful Theodooore!"

I point my wand at the tree once again.

The spell shatters the trunk, throwing multiple burning branches in the air. Splinters fall from the sky and litter the ground.

I dust myself off, the once proud tree lying in a burning heap.

I smile at my achievement.

I did it!

"You are exactly what I was looking for!" I hear from a disembodied voice.

I turn around, the only figure in sight being the dog, now panting and smiling.

Did it just…no it couldn't of…right?

"Uh, did you just talk?" I ask the dog, not expecting to get an answer.

The dog cocks his head to one side.

"Your world is now filled with dragons, magic, Cyclops's, and an all girls school that would take in a boy, and you're surprised by me? Yes I can talk, and I'm continuing to do so now. You see, my name is Bruno, and I have a problem that you can sort out."

All true points made by him.

Even still, the fact that a dog is converging with me is still a head turner.

Are all dogs like this? Perhaps it's like one of the childrens' movies, where all the animals pretend to be just like animals, but as soon as humans leave the scene, they begin to converse with each other.

No, that can't be it.

I think that with all this time that has passed, that secret would've been dug up sooner or later.

This boxer before me would have to be a magical dog.

But just how did he get this way?

"Touche." I respond to him. "So, what could a dog need help with?"

"My master told me to find a certain wizard who fits this description: short, brown hair, green eyes, with a huge nose, and you happen to fit the bill perfectly!"

I rub my nose.

It's not that big, everyone else's nose is just too small!

"Where does your master live?" I ask.

"He lives near a city not far from here, Blytonbury. In fact, it's in this very forest, where the trees are so thick, no witch dares to venture." The dog responds.

"Blytonbury?" I ask. "In this very forest? Where the woods are so thick?"

"Don't worry." He reassures me. "I've lived in this forest for a few years now. I know every stick and rock here. He lives on top of a hill. If you look closely, you can see Glastonbury from there."

I eye the burning pile of splinters.

Well, this is a good place to stop for today, plus I want to know why Bruno's owner wants to find me so bad.

Maybe he's heard of my great powers.

"Okay Bruno, take me to Blytonbury."

"Like I said, the trees are pretty thick. It'll take too long for us to venture by paw...um foot."

I let out a little chuckle at his mistake, myself wondering if he made the joke on purpose or not.

"So we'll have to take a train to Blytonbury." Bruno continues. "After that, we can continue on foot."

I haven't been on a train since I was home in Italy.

Well, this ought to be good.

* * *

We arrive at the underground Glastonbury train station.

On the left side are the train tracks themselves, on the right side are several chairs leaning against a wall as a makeshift waiting room, and ahead of me is the ticket booth.

Bruno lies down next to a seat in the waiting area, holding it for us.

As I go in line for our tickets, I notice a group of fat, sweaty, and greasy people gathering around a woman with a megaphone.

Are they going to BronyCon, or something?

After a few minutes of waiting in line, I eventually make my way to the front.

In the ticket booth is a tall Mexican man, who is the spitting image of Ramon from "The Ridiculous 6."

"Hi!" He says greeting me, "I'm Fred, your friendly, local, neighborhood ticket salesman!"

What a strange person.

"I'd like to buy two tickets to Blytonbury." I say.

"That would be fourteen pounds." Fred says.

I groan inwardly. Besides not bringing pajamas, I also forgot to exchange my Italian Euros into GBP.

"Can I pay you in Euros instead?" I ask.

"Ah, money from the mainland! Sure, all money is welcome here. That would be 16.41."

After paying the man, I move back to the waiting area, easing my way into a chair, while we wait for the train.

I spot a middle aged, out of shape, balding, lonely man walking into the station.

He sits down next to me, and after a few minutes of awkward silence, he speaks.

"Hey, I have to apologize for something." He says.

"What?" I ask, very confused as I've never seen this guy in my life.

"Well…I ate three pounds of pork, while I was looking at you earlier."

"What? Why?" I reply, even more confused.

"…Because I was hungry." He says casually. "Not one pound, not two pounds…three pounds pork."

"That's a bit weird." I mutter.

"What's weird is that I wasn't even interested in the pork, until I saw you."

"Oh yeah?" I ask.

"I'm sorry for pork watching you. Maybe we could do a quick hug of forgiveness? Please, it'll help me compress the three pounds of pork in my stomach." He says, his arms outstretched in a hug.

"I think I'll pass." I say.

"All right bud." He says, while getting up "I'm going to get three pounds lighter."

He then walks towards the train station bathroom.

What a very strange person.

Bruno and I exchange confused stares, until I notice that the woman with the megaphone is standing on one of the waiting room chairs, while the rest of the crowd surrounds her.

She is a colossus of bacon grease and more back fat then Bruno.

Her black shirt, in clear view reads "My pronouns are not preferred, they are required!"

Oh no, not these people-

"Who's streets?!" The lady yells, her chubby Dorito fingers staining the white megaphone handle.

"Our streets!" The crowd responds.

"Who's streets?!" She cries out again.

"Our streets!" They answer.

"Fuck Trump!" The megaphone lady chants.

"Fuck Trump!" The crowd repeats.

What an extremely strange person!

"What are they doing?!" Bruno asks.

"Oh, them? They're 'Social Justice Warriors', I hear there's way more of them in America." I respond, myself not being able to understand their cries.

"They seem weird." Bruno ponders.

I nod my head, saying

"They are."

* * *

After an hour of an uneventful train ride, Bruno and I find ourselves on the city limits of Blytonbury.

"You said he lived near here?" I ask, eyeing the nearby forest.

"Yeah, my master lives in a cave." He says casually.

I raise an eyebrow.

"A cave?"

Just what kind of hermit is this guy?

"Yeah, The Big Caves."

That name sounds vaguely familiar.

I've definitely heard that somewhere before. I just can't tell when.

Bruno leads me down a dirt footpath going into the forest.

He leads me through the heavy and thick woods, myself having to dodge and stumble on many unearthed roots and rocks.

The walk surely is treacherous.

I can't imagine any other living out here.

Bruno's master must be a magic user, that's the only way I can see him making this journey every so often.

After a while of walking, we begin to go uphill, the steepness of the climb making the trek even more difficult.

Once the mouth of the cave comes into sight, he looks up at me.

"If this whole thing works out, I'll make sure you're well rewarded. Just don't accept any offers he makes, ok?"

"Why?" I ask.

If a dog could look sheepish, now is the time.

"Did I forget to mention that my master is Mendacius? The Roman god of deception and lies?"

Well, this just got a lot more interesting.

So, this is where a god lives, huh?

I begin to scan the area.

It seems like a normal place, a cave on top of a hill, surrounded by a thick forest.

It seems as though Bruno was right, for I can see the outline of Glastonbury from here.

Luna Nova seems so close, but yet so far.

"Must've slipped your mind." I mutter.

With that, we walk into the cave.

After making a few turns, I note that the walls of the caves are perfectly straight, not a single rock or chip out of place.

I would've thought I was walking through a windowless house, rather than the cave of a god.

"This seems almost too symmetrical to be natural." I mutter.

"It's anything but natural." Bruno replies. "An old crone by the name of Black Annis carved all of this with her own fingernails. She would hide there, until a child happened to pass by. She would drag them inside the cave, skin them alive, and feast on them. This went on for years, until one day three children were sent to gather firewood. They heard her approaching from behind, and ran back to their village, with her in hot pursuit. The dad struck her with an axe and she tried to run, but was struck down by the sound of church bells."

"What a kind old lady." I say sarcastically, not knowing if this is a fact or simple legend to explain the cave's origin. "Is she still alive?"

"She managed to hobble back to the cave, and laid there dying. Then Mendacius approached Black Annis with a deal. He would heal her, if she offers her caves as his home. She accepted and after that, she just disappeared."

We continue walking down the tunnel until we reach a square shaped room.

A painted circle with a fasces decorates the floor in the middle of the room, and tattered banners with the Roman eagle are adorning the left and right side walls. On the far end is a statue of, what I think is, Mendacius himself.

A marble bust of him, clad in full legionary armor, doing the Roman salute.

Bruno nudges his head towards the statue, signaling me to step forward.

Well, as long as I get answers.

Walking towards the bust, the moment I step on the crest, steel bars shoot out from below, trapping me in a circular cage.

Before I have time to protest my imprisonment, I hear a disembodied voice coming from the statue.

"So Bruno, what you're saying is, this… _boy_ did it?"

"What I'm saying is, this boy matches the description you gave me." Bruno answers back, a little apprehension to his master in his voice.

At this point, I'm very confused.

The boy who did what? Maybe I was right, and tale of my power has spread far and wide.

Doubtful, but wishful thinking.

I definitely don't want it to be the anger of a god.

"What do you mean by the boy who did it?" I ask.

"Why, the boy who killed the Cyclops in the labyrinth." The statue responds to me.

So, that's where I've heard of The Big Caves before!

Despite my temporary imprisonment, this god seems nice enough as it is.

I've read enough stories to know that an angry god can spell disaster for anyone nearby, even if they had no hand in the matter that caused his rage.

If anything, at least he's polite.

"Yeah I did. Wasn't his name Polytheistic, or something?" I ask.

"Polyphemus." He says, correcting me. "He was a follower of mine, that I sent to the labyrinth to keep tabs on your magical school. Well, until you stumbled upon him."

By his tone of voice, he doesn't even sound angered.

"He seems like a waste to me, considering all it took was a student to kill him." I mutter.

"Know your place, _mortal_ " The god suddenly shouts at me. "Your ancestors bowed before me, and you will do the same!" Mendacius bellows.

I shrink back until I hit the bars behind me, reminding me that I'm completely at his mercy.

I guess I might've hit a nerve.

How could I be so stupid in saying that?!

He is a god after all, and should be treated as such.

Even if he's still contained by that marble statue, I can feel the power and overwhelming empowerment in his voice. Even in his stone prison, the god still holds an influence on me, on a mortal.

"So, uh w-what do you want from me?" I ask nervously, hoping that my show of giving my stifle his anger.

"Simple, you killed my Cyclops." He says, returning to his regular calm voice. "I was just about to assign him on a retrieval mission. Now that he's dead, and you're held responsible, you will take his place. And don't even think about saying no, or I will use my godly powers on you!"

Another show of force.

Not that he'd need it.

"W-what do you want me to do?" I ask, not wanting to backtalk this god.

"You are to locate and capture John Diehl, an enemy of mine."

I say nothing, as I think hard about the situation at hand.

If I say no, I'll have an angry god to deal with, and if I say yes, I'll have to go on a wild goose chase for some guy I've never heard of.

Mendacius goes on with his proposal.

"It has come to my attention that you have acquired The Pestle of Jennifer the Witch, no?"

"I have." I respond.

"What you do not know is that I have the other piece, The Mortar of Jennifer the Witch."

The Mortal of Jennifer the Witch?

Why, that would compete the set!

Mendacius catches my curious look and continues.

"Let us make a deal Theodore Sempronia, you bring me John Diehl, and I'll consider us even. In the end he will be in my possession, and the mortar will be in yours. Is this a deal?"

Just what is Mendacius going to do to this man once he finds him?

Do I really have a choice?

Even if Mendacius is bounded by the statue, who's the say that Bruno wouldn't try anything on me? I don't know these people.

My hands are tied.

I can only hope that it's justified and uncruel.

"Deal. But before I begin, I have a few questions." I say.

"What is it?" He asks.

"Why are you in a statue?" I ask.

"Ah, I wasn't always stuck in this statue." He mutters, reminiscing. "There was a time where I shook fear into the bravest of souls, and the mightiest of the emperors. However, a Roman god has his enemies, and the witch Jennifer had me captured in stone, left me here to decay, until you came."

"You want revenge on Jennifer?" I ask.

Didn't she die hundreds of years ago?

"Revenge? No, I want justice. I want John Diehl, the man whose ancestors sided with her, and locked me up. Bruno can help you find him. Bring me John Diehl, let him set foot in The Big Caves, and when he does, I will be waiting for him... What's your next question?"

"How did you know my name?" I ask.

If he could move his face, I'd imagine it would be a face of slyful mockingness.

"I'm a god, I know these things."

* * *

 **Author's Note:Sorry that chapter took a bit longer than normal. Writer's block sure is something! By the way, I noticed some pretty intense shipping comments like "Sucy x TED PLZ!" and "Please ship Ted and Diana." Both were written by amazing and beautiful people. So, I'm just wondering who you want to see Theodore shipped with! Write it down in the comments, my dudes.**


	8. The Raven Man

Outside of The Big Caves, I'm sitting on a fallen log, with Bruno at my feet.

Just what have I gotten myself into? This whole situation could have been avoided if I wasn't so trigger happy.

Sure, the Cyclops was angry and on edge, but so would anyone if someone intruded into their domain, and killed their pet.

No, no, no, that was self defense, but what about the Cyclops?

Surely he wouldn't have attacked me.

Maybe things would've been different…or maybe I would've been the one to die that day. And what of John Diehl?

Without even a photograph, I'm supposed to find him?!

A simple act of self defense due to a school assignment has really left me with heavy baggage to carry.

And it's not like I could've protested this quest given onto me.

You don't question a god, or else Hell might be paid.

"Hey, what are you thing about?" Bruno asks.

"I'm just trying to figure out how we're supposed to find one man in this whole country." I inform him, a hint of hopeless depression in my voice. "Does it even matter? I mean, Mendacius is the god of deception and lies, right? Even if we find this John Diehl, how can I trust his word?"

"He may be the god of deception and lies, but I've been with him long enough to know when he tells the truth, and what he said was the truth." Bruno tells me.

Can I really trust this dog? He hasn't given me any reason not to, but still.

He's the loyal dog of Mendacius. I'm willing to bet that that dog would prefer to take the side of his god rather than a teenager he just met.

"I just can't wrap my head around how we're supposed to find one guy on this island." I repeat myself.

He thinks a bit, twirling one of his whiskers with his paw in a cartoonish fashion.

"Hmmm…I think, I might have an idea." He states.

"What? Go from town to town, and ask the mayor for a census of the citizens?" I reply dryly.

"No, but we could try to summon The Raven Man." He suggests.

The urban legend?

"But, isn't that fake? I tried to out a few years ago, and nothing happened." I ask.

During one of my internet excursions, I happened to stumble upon the legend of The Raven Man.

Once you manage to summon him, he will answer one question, no matter what it may be.

"Well, that's the internet." Bruno brushes off. "The online ritual is incomplete, it's missing a key factor to summon The Raven Man, Smoke Weepers." Bruno explains.

A smoke what?

"What's that?" I ask.

"It's an alchemical ingredient, which looks like a lump of coal. The only problem is that it's very hard to find. But, I know where they are." Bruno explains.

"Where?" I ask.

"They happen to be found in the forest, follow me."

I stand up from the log, and follow his lead.

As we walk, the dog continues to explain to me Smoke Weepers.

"Like I said, it's used in alchemy, and occurs only under certain situations. They are created when a wizard or witch casts a destruction spell at a tree, burning and destroying it. Think of it as coal. You create coal by burning wood. Smoke Weepers are only created when you burn wood with magic, lightening and fire being the most potent. That's why they are very uncommon in most places, but very common around here."

Once the dog is done with his explanation, Bruno puts his nose to the ground, letting the scent guide us.

While walking, a light rustle is heard from a nearby bush.

A little, green creature with huge ears scurries out and runs across the path, disappearing into the trees.

"What was that?" I ask.

"It's the fairy of good luck, Brownie."

"Are you sure?" I ask. "It looked like a goblin to me."

"That it does." The dog responds.

Bruno continues sniffing until he stops by a bush.

He sniffs it a few times, and sticks his head in it, looking around.

He pulls his head out and looks at me.

A big cheeky smile covers his face.

"Well, what do you see?" I ask.

"Smoke Weepers!" He calls out, a bit excited by his find.

I kneel down into the shrub, and sure enough, an egg shaped piece of something that looks like coal is lying on the forest floor.

"I guess they're not very hard to find." I mutter.

Bruno rolls the Smoke Weepers over to me with his nose.

I pick them up, and roll them around in my hand.

"So, now what?" I ask.

"Do you have a computer?" He asks.

"Yeah, I brought one with me when I came here. It's in my dorm." I explain.

"Good, we'll need that to find the ritual. Do you think they'd allow animals at your school?" He asks.

I think for a bit, before saying

"You're a talking dog. I'll just say you're an experiment."

"Oh great." He mutters, while rolling his eyes.

* * *

"This is the page, right?" I ask, pushing the monitor towards Bruno who is lying on my bed.

"That's it." He confirms. "Okay, so the ritual is almost exactly the same as it reads online. However, what the article forgets to mention is that inside of the salt circle, we need to have a basin of Purified Smoke Weepers."

"And how do we purify them?" I ask.

"Geez, you're just full of questions today, aren't you?" He jokes towards me. "To purify Smoke Weepers, we first need a reverse hyper kinetic particle matrix arranger. The problem is that I have no idea where to find one."

The other problem is that I have no idea what that is, but I know someone who might.

"Would this happen to be a machine?" I ask.

"Yeah. What of it?" He asks.

"What is I told you I happen to know a certain person who makes up with a knowledge in robotics, for what she lacks in height?" I ask.

He furrows his brow.

"I would say you were crazy."

* * *

Standing outside of Amanda's room with Bruno, I knock on her door.

She opens the door, her hair unkempt, and eyes glassy, obviously sleeping just a few moments ago.

"What do you want? Can't you see I was sleeping?" She mutters, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"It's 1:30, anyway I was wondering if you've seen Constanze?" I ask.

"You going for a home run, or something?" She jokingly asks, seeming to awake a bit more by this.

"I haven't even been up to bat." I answer.

"Whoa-ho-ho!" She laughs at my response. "Anyway yeah, she's camped out in the janitor's closet."

"Why?" I ask.

"It's her base of ops, you know, where she makes and sells her tech."

"Ah." I respond.

Amanda points at the dog, saying

"Also, I'm pretty sure you can't have pets here."

Really? She's teaching me about school rules?

"Bruno isn't my pet." I say, thinking of a lie. "He's, uh…the focus of my research, animal human cohabitation."

Believing my lie, she rolls her eyes.

"Geez, what an egghead." She mutters, before closing the door.

"Geez, what a jerk." Bruno mutters to me.

"You get used to it." I tell him.

We begin walking down the hallway, in the direction of the janitor's closet.

"So…" Bruno begins. "You're a student here, right? At Luna Nova Academy?"

Thinking that he's talking about the gender differences, I sigh annoyingly.

"Yes...I know that I'm a boy, and this school is generally for girls, but the principal told me that while it may be a girls school at the moment, it's not only for girls-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Bruno interrupts me. "That's not what I was getting out. I was just going to ask if you know the students here."

Oh, was that it?

"I do know a few of them." I respond.

"Do you know a student who has short, kind of messy orange hair? Wears large glasses?"

Is he talking about Lotte?

Before I have time to answer, I hear a faint conversation going on in the alchemy lab.

Upon opening the door, I see Akko, Lotte, and Sucy hunched over a vat of bubbling brew.

"I don't think this is a good idea." I hear Lotte mutter.

Akko notices me enter.

"Ah, Ted, you came just in time! Our chem teacher just showed us how to make a love potion, and we need someone to test it. I don't suppose you'd-"

"No." I say, cutting her off.

"Whaaaat?! But why?"

"I've got things to do, arrivederci." I say.

Before closing the door, I hear Akko proclaim,

"Oh, I got it! We'll sneak it into the teacher's soup!"

Turning back towards the dog, I notice that his demeanor has changed entirely.

Even though the door to the alchemy lab is closed, he still stares on, as if seeing right through it.

Even under all that fur, I can still see the anticipation in his eyes, those brown orbs staring intently forward.

"Was it her you were looking for?" I ask him. "The girl you were asking about? Was it Lotte?"

Upon hearing my voice, he breaks out of his trance.

"N-no, it's nothing." He claims. "That...that's not her. I was talking about someone else. Let's just go to this Constanze."

I'm not sure what all that was about, but something with Lotte clearly made him lose sense of himself, at least for sometime.

Maybe what he says is true, and Lotte only reminded him of his description of this student.

In any case, it's best that I don't ponder on this subject for too long.

Like Bruno said, let's just find Constanze.

We continue walking down the hall, until we reach the janitor's closet.

Bruno looks up at me, a bit doubtful that someone would want to hang out here.

"Are you sure she's in there?" He asks.

"That's what Amanda said."

I open the door, and reveal a dingy, dusty room.

Wires, tools, computer chips, and disassembled household items are strewn all over the stained carpet.

In the center is the silly little short fellow, hunched over and welding into a toaster.

I knock on the door, signaling my arrival.

Constanze looks up from her project, her back cracking in the process, as she takes off her goggles with oil stained fingers. Her unfocused, baggy eyes look up at me.

The whole scene looks like she has been hard at work for hours. I would feel bad, if she was not doing it for her own profit.

Her face is a mixture of anger and curiosity, making an expression of 'What do you want? Can't you see I'm busy?'

I clear my throat, a bit nervous by her gaze.

"Hello Constanze, you remember me, right? Anyway, I was wondering if you had a…"

My voice trails off, as the name escapes me.

"A…a revenue…hypo genetic pasta, uh…" My second attempt ends as the last, in utter failure.

"We need a reverse hyper kinetic particle matrix arranger." Bruno says, cutting in.

Constanze's mouth hangs open, in disbelief at Bruno.

Shaking it off, she rummages through the litter and pulls out a device. Two black cylinders, conjoined together by a clear glass tube, making it look like a dumbbell.

Bruno's eyes sparkle.

"Yup, that's it." He says, with a satisfied nod.

I reach out, only to have her pull back.

The look on her face can only be described as 'How much is this worth to you?'

I pull out a crisp ten euro bill from my pocket.

"How's this?" I ask, holding to out to her.

She shakes her head.

I pull out a five euro bill, now offering a total of fifteen euros.

She shakes her head again.

"I think you're stiffing me." I comment.

In a huff, she grabs a whiteboard and writes her message.

She then holds out the sheet, displaying her thoughts.

'Listen, you're the only one being stiff here! Your mainland money is worth less then British pounds. This machine goes for hundreds of pounds online. But, I'll be nice and only ask for three hundred euros!'

"What?! Three hundred euros?!" I cry out in shock. "I don't even have one-fifty!"

Hearing this news, she shrugs and sits back down to continue working on her toaster.

As she is about to pull down her goggles, Bruno interjects.

"My dear lady, we only need this creation, made by your magnificent design, for just a moment, Perhaps, you could lend it for just a day, at the cost of fifty euros? You see, my acquaintance and I require your invention for a ritual. If you would deny us the right of knowledge, then what kind of person are you?"

Constanze looks up, her stone cold face softened by Bruno's warm words.

After he gives her the literal puppy dog eyes, she completely capitulates.

She exchanges her reverse hyper kinetic particle matrix arranger, for my fifty euro bill.

We exchange a nod, as I take the device under my arm.

Her attention turns back to her project, as I close the door.

I look down at Bruno, and raise an eyebrow.

"Since when did you get so suave?" I ask while grinning, happy by his successful swaying of Constanze.

"Well, I used to have quite a collection of bitches back in the day!" He exclaims.

"Bruno!?" I cry out, a bit surprised that this dog would be so willing to curse so openly.

"What?" He innocently asks, his wide grin betraying his forced cluelessness. "Bitches, female dogs."

"Was that before or after you could talk?" I jokingly ask him.

He rolls his eyes, saying

"Very funny…"

* * *

With both of us sitting down on my dorm floor, I insert the Smoke Weepers into the top piece of the reverse hyper kinetic particle matrix arranger.

After a series of loud cracks and grinds, the crushed powder flows into the central tube.

"Now, we have to mix in a certain liquid to the powder." Bruno declares.

"What?" I ask.

"Blood of course. This is a ritual, after all."

Blood, why is it always blood?

"If you want, I could bite you." Bruno suggests.

"As glamorous as that sounds, I have something else in mind." I declare, while reaching into my travel bag, and pulling out a personal item of mine.

A large metallic dagger, complete with ornate carvings running down the handle and sheath. The most profound one being a carving of the she-wolf nursing the brothers Romulus and Remus.

"What is that?" Bruno asks.

"It's a pugio, the Roman stabbing dagger. This has been passed down in my family, since they first came to power in Rome, in 497 BC. This antique is 1515 years old."

Bruno's jaw drops.

"Dang, it must be worth a fortune!"

The dagger gives off a satisfying ring, as I pull the blade from the sheath.

I prick my finger with the point.

Blood drips from the open wound, and onto the charcoal colored powder, now bearing a sprinkle of crimson red.

I dab my wounded finger against my shirt, blocking the flow of blood.

I slide the dagger into my satchel, along with a vial of Purified Smoke Weepers, a wooden bowl, a bag of salt, a book of matches, and five candles. Items we will need for the ritual.

I look at the clock, 11:56 PM.

"Well, we best go outside, and summon The Raven Man. We can only do this at night." Bruno suggests.

I sling the bag over my shoulder.

"Alright, let's do this."

* * *

With Bruno lying on the grass, I create a circle of salt, and line up the candles, placing the bowl, filled with Purified Smoke Weepers in the center of the circle.

Alright, time to begin. After lighting one of the candles, I chant

"On this dark night, I call on The Raven Man. Appear before me, here and now, and do my will."

I then grab my blade, and re-prick my finger.

As the blood drips onto the flame, I chant

"The flame is my beacon. The blood is my sacrifice."

I repeat this, until each lit candle is adorned with a drop of blood.

"Come Raven Man, reveal yourself, so that you may reveal your secrets."

After I finish the mantra, the candle flames begin to dance, as a cold wind passes by, causing me to shiver.

I look at Bruno, and notice that the hair on his back is standing up, himself also suffering from the sudden drop in temperature.

The icy winds subside, as a dark shadow begins to manifest inside the salt circle.

The shadow begins to take shape, myself being able to faintly make out the silhouette of a pair of wings, and a beak.

The Raven Man! He came! This spell actually worked!

As if by supernatural forces, or by the fear of the unknown, my knees begin to shake.

I see the beak begin to open, and a rather calm but emotionless voice emerges.

"You are in the presence of The Raven Man.

Telling the future, I can.

Anything you may demand

With just a snap of your fingers, your wish is my command."

That would have been an upbeat welcome, with all the rhymes and all, if his voice wasn't colder than the wind that signaled his arrival.

"Umm yes..." I begin. "I want to know where the man John Diehl lives." I say.

"He lives in a house of brick

On Green Lane, Hardwicke." The Raven Man utters without hesitation.

I guess he really does know everything.

In that case-

"Thank you for your cooperation." Bruno says, interrupting my train of thought. "You may leave-"

"Hold on, Bruno." I whisper to him "If this guy really knows everything, then I think we should ask him a few more questions, before sending him off."

"Are you sure, Theodore?" Bruno asks "Some knowledge isn't meant to be known. Besides, something about this guy just isn't right. I can smell it on him, trust me, I've got a dog's nose."

"I'm sure." I say, before turning my attention to the creature.

"Oh great and powerful Raven Man…what is my future?" I ask, that being the first question that came to mind.

This sets the dog off.

"What?! Don't you know that asking about the future is the worst thing you could ask?!" Haven't you seen the movies?!" He quietly demands.

"Well, this isn't a movie." I retort.

I look back at The Raven Man.

He looks right back at me, studying me, judging me, perhaps deciding if he should tell me or not.

After seeing the twinkle of curiosity in my eyes, he gently closes his.

"Beware wizard folk

For the future is not a joke.

This is worse than the inquisition

But to most this will simply be another transition.

There will be so many dead

The consequences will be widespread.

This is worse than the fall of Rome

So please return to your home.

Say goodbye to your family

And continue life normally.

For an old god pulls the strings

All he wants is to be king of kings.

But there is a beacon of light

A hero that will end the night.

His road ahead is full of peril

His conscience may turn feral.

If he fights the evil full time

The world might be saved just in time."

And with that, the sun begins to rise, consuming the darkness of night.

As the light of day creeps towards the shadow like figure, of The Raven Man, he eventually fades away, and disappears into the morning dawn, leaving me and Bruno alone.

"So, what was that all about?" Bruno asks, himself not getting the meaning of such a riddle.

"I don't know, but it can't be good."

An awkward silence envelopes us, until he eventually breaks it.

"Look Ted..." He begins. "Mendacius just told me to bring you to him. I had no idea any of this would happen-"

"Whatever happens, happens." I say, cutting him off. "All we need to worry about now is finding John Diehl. I just want to get this whole thing over with."

A hint of fear slips into my voice.

Bruno picks up on this.

"Okay, let's." He agrees, as we both begin walking back to the Gloucestershire train station.

* * *

 **Author's Note:Can any of you decrypt the fortune telling that The Raven Man told our heroes? The anime series for Little Witch Academia has been announced to air in January, 2017! A promo/trailer has just been released. Watching it just makes me even more excited!**


	9. John Diehl

As we return to the train station, I am happy to say that the group of social justice warriors that once occupied the area are now gone. The only thing that looks the same is Fred the ticket salesman is working at a booth. There isn't even a line, which isn't unusual, considering it's four in the morning.

Both Bruno and I haven't gotten any sleep, as we were too preoccupied summing The Raven Man.

Just what was that little poem, anyway? I can guess that the 'old god' is Mendacius, but who is this 'hero that will fight the night?' And all the other bad events he mentioned with the unique vagueness of his riddle only leaves me in a more anxious state than before.

Just thinking about The Raven Man's warning makes me shudder.

I try to forget about it, as we make our way towards the ticket booth.

While walking, I look down at Bruno.

"You know the drill." I say.

Nodding, he breaks away from me, and lies next to a chair, holding it for us, and hopefully catching some much needed sleep.

Fred notices my arrival, and says in a joking tone

"Well, well, well, look who's back! Euro boy, and his dog! How can I help you?"

What interesting nicknames.

"I need two tickets for Hardwicke." I say, getting right to business.

"That'll be 7.56 Euros."

I hand him a ten euro bill, as he hands me change and the tickets, both I put in my pocket.

"By the way, what are you doing at the train station this early?" He asks.

I tell the truth, knowing full well he won't believe me.

"Well, I was recruited by a Roman god, to find a man named John Diehl, in Hardwicke. Oh, and the dog's name is Bruno, he can talk."

Hearing this, he bursts out in laughter, loud enough to wake up all of Gloucestershire.

"Oh man, that's too good!" He exclaims, wiping a tear from his eye. "I've heard plenty of tall tales in my day, but yours definitely takes the cake!"

"Yes, well, I'm going to wait for the train now, might be able to catch up on some sleep." I say, turning around, about to walk back to Bruno.

"Before you go…" He says, prompting me to turn around. "…We have a charity that you might be interested in donating to."

Not having any use for the change, I fish out three fifty cent euro coins from my pocket.

"What is it?" I ask.

"It's facial reconstructive surgery for long nosed babies."

I scratch my nose, uncomfortably.

"You see…" He continues. "…When a baby is born, and sometimes they have a really long nose, it affects the way they grow. I can see your mom couldn't afford it." He says, pointing at my nose.

"Don't you think they should leave the baby the way it?" I ask.

His face contorts, as if disgusted at the idea of a long nosed baby.

"I mean a long nosed baby, you look at it in horror. A baby is supposed to be cute, but if you look at a long nosed baby, you know, you get physically repulsed. Have you ever seen a long nosed baby?"

"Every time I look in the mirror."

As I slide the money back into my pocket, Fred smiles at me, sheepishly.

"So, I'm guessing you're not donating." He assumes.

"Correct."

I go back to the waiting room, and sit down with Bruno.

Well, that was weird. But, at least this morning can't get any weirder.

As I finish this thought, the same overweight, out of shape, balding, lonely man walks in. Honestly, what could he be doing here at four in the morning?!

Like last time, he sits down next to me, and after waiting a few minutes he speaks.

"Hey, I have to apologize for something." He states.

"What is it this time?" I ask, slightly annoyed that my time for rest was interrupted by this gelatinous blob.

"Do you remember me from high school?" He asks.

He's like forty years older than me!

"No, I don't." I answer, playing along.

"I used to be a real jerk."

"Where did you go to high school?" I ask.

"Where did I go to high school? I went where you went."

"Where?"

"You know, I went to…um…Hetalia High." He claims, clearly lying.

"You know, they had the football team." He continues. "They taught classes…there was the gymnasium…and I was a massive jerk. I'm very sorry."

He seems sincere. I wonder if this guy is suffering from some kind of reality altering disorder.

"Apology accepted." I say, hoping he'll go away.

I also hope this isn't going where I think it's going.

"Maybe we could hug it out?" He asks.

It just went there.

"No."

"Alright, smell ya later." He says, before getting up.

"By the way, who are you?" I ask.

"Oh, I'm Beef Mc Whatnow." He proudly declares, before power walking out.

Bruno and I stare at each other, both of us even more confused than last time. Our staring is ended, when Bruno yawns in my face.

"Sorry, I could really use some sleep." He mutters.

It seems contagious, as I begin to yawn too.

"Maybe we should take a little nap, while we wait for the train." I suggest.

"Yes please." He mutters.

I lean back into my chair, and close my eyes, as we both drift off to sleep.

* * *

"Hey bud, wake up."

Upon opening my eyes, I see Fred standing over me.

Bruno begins to stir awake, as I rub the sleep from my eyes.

"What is it?" I groan.

"The train for Hardwicke left two hours ago."

Hearing this news shoves away any sleep that once came over me.

"What?! We missed the train?!" I demand.

He shrugs.

"I'm afraid so. The next one will come in five hours."

And with that, he walks back to the booth, leaving Bruno and I to wallow in our regrets.

"What do we do now?" I demand. "We can't wait five hours, oh this is a disaster!"

Bruno raises an eyebrow, being surprisingly calm.

"Just calm down. You're a wizard, right? You can just fly us there."

My feeling of regret melts into a sensation of gloom.

"Um…well…you see…"

"Come on, spit it out." Bruno encourages.

Admitting my flaws has always been hard for me.

"I…I…I"

"I?"

"I can't fly." I finally mutter out.

"What, really? Well, that's just fine. I can teach you."

"How? You're a dog." I ask in confusion.

He sighs, as if about to reveal some deep, dark secret.

"Well, I wasn't always a dog, I was once human. I went by a different name, Cooper. Mendacius changed it to have me forget about my life as a human, but try as he might, I'll never forget those days. I had a beautiful wife, and an adorable little girl. I was a highly experienced, recommended, and professional mercenary, close to retirement. My wife was always worried about me, but hey, I needed to pay the bills somehow. I was mostly sent for things like patrolling, hardly ever seeing combat I'll admit."

Bruno stops, hesitating as if his next few words are tragic.

"I heard about a job, it was going to pay well, so well that I could safely retire from this work and still keep my family financially secure. I was sent to an island called Filicudi, which had been recently over taken by monsters. The Italian government hired me, and other soldiers of fortune, to evacuate the island's inhabitants. However, shortly after we landed, we were swarmed by these beasts and killed."

It was tragic.

I remember reading about that in the newspaper but dismissed it as tabloids. I never would've imagined something like that to be true.

"Then, how are you here?" I ask.

"Well you see, I was so angry at my untimely death, that my soon to be master took notice. Mendacius brought me back to life on one condition, if I served him forever. But I hate it! He never told me he would put me in the body of a dog."

So Mendacius isn't as kind as I made him out to be.

Well I guess that makes sense, being the god of deception and lies.

"He must be very powerful to be able to resurrect you." I point out.

I wonder if he'll teach me that.

"Oh, very powerful." He nods before asking. "So, where do you want me to teach you?"

"Oh, I have just the place."

* * *

Standing in the courtyard of Luna Nova where Volare had her classes, Bruno teaches me what she could not.

"Okay, so first you'll mount your broom." He instructs.

"But, what about my stance?" I ask. "The broom riding instructor taught us that your stance is everything."

He scoffs at this.

"Your stance matters little, as long as you can get it in between your legs."

He narrows his eyes at me.

"By the way, Mendacius told me that you only recently became a student of witchcraft, while others here have been taught their whole lives. So, how could a fresh face like yourself take out Polyphemus?" He asks.

"Well, I am Roman." I say, with a certain amount of smug that only an Italian can muster.

Bruno raises an eyebrow, not satisfied with my answer.

"Well, it also probably helps that I practice for two hours every day." I admit.

"You need to find yourself a girlfriend." He comments towards me.

"So then, did you know Polyphemus?" I ask Bruno.

He lets out a sort of half huff and half chuckle.

"Well, sort of. Polyphemus often bullied me, called my 'little doggy', and chased me around. I think he was a bit on the mental side, if you know what I mean. I'm actually kind of glad you killed him. No one in our group really liked him. He's the only one of Mendacius's thralls that is currently in this world...well, before you got to him."

Our group? One of Mendacius's thralls?

"There are others?" I ask him.

Bruno's eyes widen as he says seriously.

"Oh yes, there are four others that are living with Mendacius in that statue. They are very strong, far stronger than Polyphemus, and definitely far stronger than you. If you ever come across them, try not to anger them. You, or anyone, won't stand a ghost of a chance."

He shakes off our current conversation, saying

"Anyway, your stance matters little. School tends to teach you things that you'll never use in the real world."

I put the broom in between my legs, copying the same position I've seen in movies.

Bruno nods, while saying

"Good, good. Now, the tricky part is getting it off the ground. Do you know what makes a wand able to cast spells?" He asks.

I shake my head.

"The magic that enables you to cast spells comes not from the wand, but from you. Magic is located in the brain, and is distributed by the heart. Hence why when people regularly use black magic, they tend to not be the nicest people in the world. Anyway, to cast a spell, you transfer magic through your veins, into your arm, and out of your palm and fingertips. The wand merely channels it into a single point, allowing spell casting."

"I never knew that. But, how does this help me ride a broom?" I ask.

"The idea is basically the same. Transfer the magic from your heart, into your arms, and out your palm and fingertips. The magic then goes into the wood handle, and escapes through the bristles of the broom, enabling flight. Basically like a jet engine."

"How do you know so much about magic?" I ask him.

"My wife and I ran a magic item shop. It was more on her side then mine, but I tended to pick up a bit on it."

I take note of what he said.

While focusing on my breathing, I tense up my arm and hand, as if casting a spell. I then transfer the magic, as instructed.

I tend to find that if you're having trouble moving the magic.

You can imagine it as an orb of energy, flowing down your hand, which is the technique I use.

Disappointingly, the broom weakly lurches forward.

I look back at Bruno, with an annoyed expression.

"Nice lesson, teach-"

The broom suddenly shoots forward, with me still holding onto it.

My sarcasm is ended, as I slam headfirst into a nearby tree.

With a gasp, Bruno trots over to me.

"Hey, are you okay?!" He asks, full of concern for my well being.

Disoriented with my vision obscured by stars and birds circling around my head, I manage to mutter.

"Nice lesson, teach."

* * *

"I can proudly say, that you've got it." He declares.

"Do you really think so?" I ask, trying to hide the excitement in my voice.

"Yeah, although that last lap around the school was a bit sloppy, you've passed."

Failure in my flight class had been a stain on my pride for far too many months. By allowing Bruno to teach me, that stain has now been wiped clean, and my magical talent at this school have been proven!

While I think this, Bruno walks behind me, out of my line of sight.

"Now, mount your broom." He commands.

I oblige, wondering what the dog has in mind.

As soon as I fulfill his wish, I feel a weight on my back.

Turning around, I see Bruno clinging onto me, his claws slightly digging to my sides.

"And what do you think you're doing?" I ask.

"Enough training, let's meet this John Diehl already. And try not to drop me." He says, smiling with a playful wink.

I nod, and then swiftly take off into the sky.

I wince, as Bruno digs his claws deeper into me.

As playful revenge, I crash us through a cloud, soaking both of us.

"Didn't your parents ever tell you about the horror of a wet dog?" He asks.

"Don't worry about it, the breeze will dry us off."

"Yeah yeah, just take us to Green Lane, Hardwicke." He grumbles.

"By the way, how am I supposed to know where to go?" I ask.

"Just look for road signs."

"And how am I supposed to see those from up here?"

"Jeez, I don't know. You're the magic one here! Conjure up some binoculars, or something!"

* * *

Bruno and I land in front of what The Raven Man described as 'A house of brick, on Green Lane, Hardwicke.'

It's only been yesterday since Mendacius gave out his command, but it feels like weeks have passed.

Never before have I been more anxious to get back to my regular routine. Back to practicing spells with Diana, back to testing Sucy's potions, and Akko's Shiny Chariot obsession.

I can happily say that this quest, thank the gods, is almost over.

"So, how exactly are we going to do this?" Bruno asks. "I'm not sure he'd come with us if we tell him we're here to take him away to face an angry god's wrath."

Good point.

"I hadn't thought of that." I admit.

I stop to think before saying.

"Well, we made it this far, and we know nothing about him How easy going he is, or if he even believes in a god. The only thing left to do is knock on his door."

"But, are we going to lie?" Bruno asks. "It just doesn't seem right to sentence someone to their doom, without even telling them. Hell, we don't even know what Mendacius is going to do to this guy, if anything!"

"I'm not sure." I respond to him. "I might lie, I might tell the truth, I might threaten. I might even knock him out, and carry him to The Big Caves on my back. I just want this whole thing over with. First, we need to see who he is. Who knows, he might be some neo Nazi meat head or a quadriplegic little boy."

After considering what I said, Bruno weakly nods, before replying.

"Alright, go for it."

With his approval, I knock on the door.

After a few tense moments, someone opens the door.

A man with an aged, wrinkled face, bushy eyebrows, a seven o'clock shadow, and thin slicked back hair, all three a gray color. He looks to be in his sixties.

"Can I help you?" He asks, raising one of his bushy eyebrows.

Of course, this must look weird to him. A teen, which is a complete stranger, wearing some kind of uniform, holding a broom, and accompanied by a dog.

"Yes. Would you happen to be John Diehl?" I ask.

God forbid we get the wrong person.

"Yes, that's me. What can I do for you?" He asks.

I take a heavy breath, exhaling through my nose, before saying.

"Can we come inside?" I ask. "We have important news."

"Yes of course." He says, with a slight worry in his voice.

We follow him inside.

He leads us to a living room, and sits down on a coach. I sit down on another coach, facing him, with Bruno sitting at my feet.

John folds his hands together.

"Before we begin, would you like something to drink? Water, or perhaps juice?" He asks.

Now that he mentions it, doing tasks for a god and summoning a creature of the night has left me with little time for hydration.

"A glass of water, please." I request.

He disappears into the kitchen, and comes back with two crystal cups of water.

He hands me one, and sits back down on the couch.

"So, what important news do you have for me?" He asks.

It's self evident that this question would be bought up.

I figured that I'd just come up with something on the spot. Maybe throw in a few complainants, and sugar coat it so much he'd be too distracted by my honeyed words to figure out what's really going on.

But, I have nothing, and I can't think of anything, except to just be straight about it.

I take a sip of water, soothing my dry throat, before saying.

"Well, I don't know any other way to say this, so I'm just going to say it. The dog: Bruno, and I: Theodore, have been sent by the god of deception and lies, Mendacius, to take you to The Big Caves, where you will face the music for something your ancestors did hundreds of years ago."

John furrows his brow.

"Is this some kind of prank? I think you've been reading too much mythology, young man. If you're here to just waste my time, then I suggest you get out-"

"I can see why you might think that." I interrupt him. "I mean, to an outsider's point of view this makes no sense. A boy and his dog friend being sent by a Roman god to capture someone whose ancestors merely sided against him. Seems like a bad fan fiction to me, but what's happening is the truth, and I can prove it."

'Oh, really? How?" He asks in curiosity.

I swallow the rest of the water, before lightly tapping Bruno with my foot.

"Show him what you got." I say.

Bruno puts a paw to his mouth, clearing his throat before saying clearly

"Good day, my name is Bruno. Elated to make your acquaintance."

"It can talk?!" John cries out in disbelief.

"Yes, I can." Bruno calmly replies. "And what Theodore speaks is the truth."

John slumps in his chair, the fact that Bruno can talk convincing him entirely of my story.

He sighs, before letting out a light chuckle.

"You know, my mother used to tell me about how my ancestors once fought a great enemy in the past. I thought it was merely a bedtime story, something to inspire me. But, I had no idea she was serious."

He looks down at his drink, as if the answer is somewhere in the cup.

"This is important news. Being told that you're going to face the possible wrath of a god is enough to drive a man to depression. I should've brought alcohol instead." He jokes.

An awkward silence envelops the room, before John eventually breaks it.

"What would happen if I were to refuse? If I don't come with you?" He asks.

The question was asked not like he was resisting, but as a thought experiment.

"It definitely won't be good for me. I'll probably die." I say bluntly.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it turns out I happened to kill one of his followers, a Cyclops. Mendacius told me if I bring you to him, then I would be pardoned. If I fail, well I can't be for certain what will happen to me, but I can guess it won't be good."

He sighs heavily, rubbing his temples, deeply thinking, deciding what to do.

We sit like this for a few minutes, waiting for him to decide.

"Not making a decision, is a _big_ decision." Bruno says with slight impatience in his voice.

I shoot a glare at Bruno, this isn't exactly an easy choice.

Suddenly, John chugs the rest of his water, before standing up.

"Alright, let's meet this Mendacius." He decides.

"Are you sure?" I ask, a bit surprised by his fast decision making.

"Yeah, that was a sudden answer." Bruno adds.

"I might be on a god's blacklist, but I've been around long enough to know when a life has been lived…" He says, pointing at himself. "…And when a life still has potential." He says, pointing at me.

"O...oh, Okay." I say, my voice slightly breaking.

I never thought a stranger could show this much kindness.

When on this quest, I tried to think of John Diehl not as human, but just cargo, someone we can simply drop off for Mendacius, and leave. But even this little brief conversation I've had with him, is enough to give him some form of humanity, and after what he just said...well...there just has to be another way!

I discreetly try to rub my wet eyes with my sleeve, as I stand up.

We walk out the front door, and onto the lawn.

The sun has just started to shine brightly in the sky.

There's not a cloud in the sky.

It's a brand new day.


	10. The Fight of Fate

**Author's Note: Hey, what's up guys? Scarce here, and this month I decided to do a double upload. Enjoy!**

* * *

After an extremely silent journey, the three of us manage to come into the caves.

The silence of the whole trip is only broken when we face the room where Mendacius's statue was.

As John's eyes cast themselves upon the marble bust, knowing that the moment had come, his nerves, understandably, got the better of him.

In a moment of panic, he quickly turns to Bruno.

"Do you think Mendacius will be reasonable?" He pleads, as if Bruno himself was deciding his fate.

The fearful look in his eyes told us that he knows, we know, that he already knows the answer.

With an effort, we manage to make our way inside Mendacious room.

Nothing has changed since my last visit. The same emblem of a fasces still decorates the floor, likewise the bust is still doing the Roman salute, still clad in legionare armor, as if he's some great hero.

Suddenly, a warm and welcoming voice comes from the statue, from Mendacius.

"Ah, John Diehl, the man of the hour, is finally in my grand presence. It took you two long enough." He tells Bruno and I, before turning back to John. "Now, would you kindly step on that seal on the floor?"

He refers to the fasces seal on the ground, the place where I was once questioned.

I figure Mendacius is pretending to be nice, to lure John into a false sense of security.

I wish I could do something, shove myself in the middle of it all and declare Mendacius's sins to the world. However, I can't be sure what'll happen to me otherwise.

Besides, John already said he would obey the god's commands.

John turns towards us, his dull eyes staring at us, filled with fear.

Perhaps hoping that this was just some terrible joke played on him. But after witnessing the statue, the inanimate object, talk, John knows that this is definitely no joke.

All he gets is a weak nod from Bruno, encouraging him to follow Mendacius's will.

After a few seconds of further contemplating, John slowly shuffles himself onto the seal, ironically sealing his fate.

Suddenly, but expectantly, the same steel cage that once held me, falls down, imprisoning him.

The old man doesn't even flinch as Mendacius releases a loud cackling laugh, his good natured façade gone with the wind.

"Ah ha ha ha ha! You foolish fool, thinking you could trust the god of deception and lies. I have been waiting for this moment for quite some time. Now John Diehl, I shall punish you for what your ancestors did, all those years ago. Submit to me! And your punishment shall be less…severe."

John begins to shake at this sentence, his whole body trembling as fear takes over.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Mendacius impatiently asks. "I'm just dying for the answer."

"Okay, okay!" John suddenly bursts out. "I submit, Mendacius! I-I submit."

Without a chance for John to retract his statement, a black mist consumes the cage, blocking our field of view.

A horrible shriek echoes from the mist, followed by the shuffling and scuffling of an injured man.

The loud metallic clang of something hitting the bars rings throughout the room, followed by a gaspy wheeze, and then dead silence.

I can feel my heart begin to grow cold and icy as I realize that John is no longer with us.

The old man who most likely had a family, gave it all up for me, and is now gone.

Slowly, but surely, the mist subsides, revealing John Diehl, the cage now gone, allowing him to walk freely.

He looks completely calm, and undisturbed, with slightly unkempt hair being the only sign of a struggle.

What's going on?

Maybe he did live after all!

With his hands behind his back, he confidently walks towards me.

"Congratulations Theodore Sempronia." His voice hollow and unamused. The voice, a mix of John's and Mendacius's.

No, it can't be. A possession?

"Mendacius?" I ask, my past fear now beginning to mix with curiosity.

"I'm impressed. No ordinary teenager could defeat a Cyclops, especially one trained by me. And thinking of summoning The Raven Man to find John Diehl? Genius. Speaking of John Diehl, I never thought he was this old, but I suppose any worn out body is good, when you've been stuck in a statue for a few hundred years." He says, stretching the stolen body. "Where did he live again? A house of brick, on Green Lane, Hardwicke?"

"You knew where John Diehl was?" I ask.

Why didn't he just tell us? The trip could have been ten times easier.

"Of course I did, I am a god after all. But, you seem confused, boy. Perhaps an explanation would be in order?"

I nod, giving him the okay to continue.

"Do you really think I cared for that bumbling Cyclops? No. He was worthless and weak, unfit and unworthy to stay at my side. All his other comrades were ten times stronger than him. He was the weakest link, a flaw in the system. How could I allow such a thing to live?"

Without awaiting for my answer, he continues.

"As you could imagine, I needed a new underling. So, I sent him to the labyrinth under Luna Nova, telling him that I wanted him to report any suspicious activities. I knew full well that your principal would send you and your fellow students down there for a test. I made a decree to myself that whoever managed to slay Polyphemus, I would send Bruno after them. I would then test their loyalty to me, by having that individual bring me John Diehl. Not only would I be gaining a new underling, but I would also have a thorn in my side removed. So, my question for you, Theodore Sempronia is, why don't you stay here awhile longer?"

At this point my mind is a mess of many emotions: fear, confusion, anger, and strangely a hint of curiosity.

If he went through all this trouble, and all these lies just to recruit a new underling, then he must have something big in mind. As much as I would like to see what that is, I'm just a teenager. How could I play a part?

I've made my choice.

"I'll collect the reward, now." I say firmly, holding out my hand.

I don't want to stay here any longer than I have too. I'll even leave without it.

I just want to escape it all. Mendacius, Bruno, John Diehl, I want to go home and forget it all.

"Of course, of course. The Mortar of Jennifer the Witch, was it? Or much more, if you stay here, to be trained."

Trained?

"You want to train me?" I ask in disbelief.

"Four of my loyal followers were imprisoned in that statue with me. Vrykolake, Asanbosam, Jikininki, and Jiang Shi can teach you true magic, not those petty party tricks you learn at Luna Nova. I'm talking about black magic, voodoo, and everything in between. After that, no one can stop us as we carve out our new world order. There will be many wars, revolutions, and purges. Many millions will die worldwide, but out of the ashes will come peace and order. We shall live like kings, or should I say gods, in Rome. Your family will finally sit at the throne, as they used to."

I was taken aback by this accurate description of my ancestry.

"How did you know about my alignment with Rome?...How did you know about my family?"

He scoffs at my question, and with a smile says

"Oh please, you think that I wouldn't recognize the Sempronia gens? Plus, that pugio hanging from your hip leaves little questioning to who you align yourself with." He states, pointing at my side.

I eye my dagger, forgetting that it was even there in the first place.

But still, all this talk of purges and death is disturbing.

"Aren't you a god? Can't you just snap your fingers, and make the world yours? No blood or violence?" I try to reason

He drops his smile.

"Pop quiz. How does a god obtain their power?" He asks.

How am I supposed to know?

"They…um-"

"You don't know?" He cuts me off, regaining his smile. "And you're supposed to be all that? A deity gets their power based on how many disciples they have. Hence why the Pagan gods ruled the ancient world, and why Christianity rules modern day. Only two people that are alive believe in me. You and Bruno. You believe in me, don't you?"

"How could I not?"

"So, join me, and together we can rule the world." He says, making a fist for emphasis.

Of course, who wouldn't want to rule the world? But of course, I haven't believed a word he said. He is the god of deception and lies, after all.

Who's to say that he just won't betray me-

"Just think of what I'm offering you." He says, cutting off my train of thought. "A chance at immortality. To restore your family honor, to cave your name in the history books, a great deal of money. How can a person such as you not be interested?"

I think hard. It's like my body is a war with itself.

One side of me wants to say yes, to have wealth and fame. However, another side is saying no, my more humane side.

My mind goes back to what Bruno told John Diehl. Not making a decision is a big decision. If I say no, then I would be confronted by the very thing that I went on this quest to avoid, an angry god.

But if I say yes, imagine all the people I've come to know at the school. They would all suffer.

"No." I say with assertiveness.

He drops his smile for a second time, and replaces it with a scowl.

"What? You're family, immortality, wealth, fame! Don't you see what I'm offering you?!" He demands.

"Yes, and I also see what you're willing to do to achieve your goals. Try as you might to sway me, but my mind is made up. I will not join you!"

"Get out! Get out, now!" He demands, pointing at the door. "Unless you want to be the first casualty in my coup de monde. Once I take over the world, I'll ensure that whatever hopes and dreams, friends and family, you may have, they will all die along with everyone you've come to know! In the end, you'll lie at my feet, beaten and battered, all your friends dead, regret and sorrow in your heart. You'll cry, but all I and my followers shall do is laugh. You chose your own destiny. I offered you immortality, but instead you chose death!"

Those threats that were meant to suppress me, only remind me of what I'm fighting for.

"No, you won't. I may have made the terrible decision of setting you free, but now that you have revealed your plans to me, I cannot and will not let you leave these caves. I may have been the one that set you free, but I'll send you back into the statue."

He suddenly breaks into a fit of uncontrollable laughter.

I keep my stoic expression as he clings to his sides, and continues to guffaw.

Once he's finished, he looks at me with wild eyes, and asks with a sick smile

"And just how do you plan on doing that, boy? Not only am I a god, but you're outnumbered two to one!"

Bruno finally steps in after his long silence.

"No, Mendacius! It is you who is outnumbered!"

Mendacius flips around towards Bruno.

"And what say do you have, dog?! Have you forgotten that I gave you life, and that I can so easily take it away? Are you prepared to throw away everything I've given you for this pathetic creature?" He demands.

"This 'pathetic creature' has done more for me in the few days that I've known him, than you have in years! Gods are supposed to look out for people, to love them, and help them find their way, not plot and scheme for power. I am not the traitor here. It is you who became the traitor when you stopped helping innocent people. No, I'm done with you. You will not touch him!"

I stare at Bruno, overwhelmed by his loyalty and friendship towards me.

I can't believe I questioned if I could trust him.

Mendacius grinds his teeth in rage, so hard that sparks are practically flying.

"Well, I see that this dog bears his fangs." He says, his venomous voice full of malice.

He turns to me.

"I suppose I should thank you for Bruno's betrayal. I knew it was only a matter of time before I needed to dispose of him. He merely served as my link to the physical world while I was bounded in that marble prison. But one question, how do you plan on beating me? I'm immortal!"

"You mistake immortality for invincibility." I say.

In a huff, he snaps his fingers, and suddenly a wand is conjured into the palm of his hand. Unlike our bulky metal school wands, his is a traditional thin wooden type.

He smiles, before saying

"Just because there are two of you, do not assume that you have the advantage."

Refusing to be intimidated, I pull out my own wand.

"Try not to hurt him." Bruno whispers to me. "If we can get Mendacius out of that body, John will come back to us."

I nod to the dog, agreeing to his request.

If there's even a chance to get him back, I would gladly take it. I owe him that much.

I'm sure that old man would love to come back.

We begin to slowly circle each other, sizing each other up, daring the other to make a move.

He strikes first, sending a single fire ball towards me.

I instinctively block it with my ward spell. He sends two this time, both stopped by my magical shield. I then send a lightning bolt his way, prompting him to deflect it. He smirks, before saying

"It's a shame you won't be around to see my new world order."

"Your right. I'm going to die an old man before that happens."

If anything, the fight turns into a fencing match, both of us parrying each other's attacks.

While Mendacius and I are in a duel to the death, Bruno is standing and watching.

Good, that's smart. He's not a magic user, so if he were to jump in right now, he would be destroyed.

He must wait for the right moment to strike.

Maybe he can pin Mendacious, and somehow we can force him out of his stolen body.

Mendacious, tired of the stalemate, forms an ice spike from the water in the air, and hurls it at me.

I duck, the sound of it shattering against the stone floor echoes throughout the cave.

In mid duck, I shoot a bolt of lightning at him.

He lets out a moan, as it collides with his stomach.

I can't believe I got the first hit!

"Godly powers, huh? I'm not impressed."

"Don't get cocky, boy." He warns me. "For even if you strike me down, gods never die!"

He emphasizes this threat, by blasting three yellow beams at me.

I manage to block the first two, while the third hits my chest. I reel back, clutching at my wound: A small cut, creating a patch of red on my blue uniform.

He laughs at this.

"Hahaha! You mortals with your weak, limp, pathetic, frail bodies! Do you honestly believe you can beat me?"

"I think I'll do alright." I say, taking a defensive stance.

"I admire your courage." He admits. "But I'm going to shake it down to nothing but the teenage invincibility complex. You see the wound on your chest, you feel the blood growing cold on your chest. Soon there shall be more."

He fires another stream of magic at me, forcing me to fire lightning at it.

Instead of what I expected it to do, explode, they collide with each other, locking us in a stereotypical magic battle.

Damn it, damn it, damn it! This is the one thing that I did not want to happen.

Isn't this where most movie wizards lose their lives?

We stay like this for a while, me sweating as all my strength is used keeping the connection as far away from me as possible.

While my face is strained by my strenuous task, Mendacius's is calm and collected. You would think he was reading a book, rather than in the middle of a death match.

Using all the might that a tweeny wizard can conjure, I manage to make my side of the connection longer than his.

He smirks before saying

"Now, you will experience true witchcraft."

With godlike speed, he drops to the floor, the destruction magic rushing above him as he does.

I see a flash of fire erupting from his wand, followed by a searing pain flooding through my hand.

I cry out in pain, dropping my wand.

Looking at my hand in horror, what was once a normal hand is now a throbbing red mess. Blisters are already beginning to grow as flakes of skin and hair are now burnt black.

With the cold air only adding to the intense pain, I clutch my now injured hand my stomach.

Wasting no time, Mendacius conjures a whip from his wand.

A loud crack rings through the room, followed by a stinging sensation across my cheek.

Blood drips from the fresh wound, as the process in repeated, this time against my arm, and another against my chest.

As I scramble to back away, I trip on my wand, and fall on the cold stone floor.

Mendacius take advantage, and whips me again in the face, splitting an eyebrow.

I bury my face in my arm, protecting my eyes.

Across my body, all over my arms and head, the strikes and cracks of the whip reign over me. Searing pain, almost like fire burns across the wounds, dripping blood being the only coolant to sooth the pain.

The rhythmic blows suddenly end by a shrill cry and a low growl.

Upon removing my arm from my face, I see Bruno ripping into Mendacius's calf, exposing muscle and bone.

Bruno's bloodied teeth continue to gnaw at his flesh, while Mendacius struggles to get free.

A few violent jerks come from Mendacius, and a horrible tearing sound comes from his leg, his appendage becoming free from Bruno's mouth, a chunk of bloody flesh held by the dog.

While Mendacius continues to suffer from his leg blow, Bruno spits the meat out, trotting over to me, grabbing the sleeve of my shirt with his mouth.

"Get up! Get up!" He cries at me, dragging me away from the god.

A little disoriented from the whip, I chuckle out.

"Hehe, you bit him on the leg."

Getting my reference to our earlier promise to try and preserve John's body, Bruno shouts at me

"I saved your life, idiot!"

Mendacius continues to soothe his injured leg with one hand, and with the other holds his bloodied wand.

He turns back to us, deep anger and betray in his eyes, all the emotions collinating into malice towards my hairy companion.

"After all I've done of you, this is how you treat me?! You ungrateful whelp!"

Bruno points his tongue at the the god like a child would, saying

"That's what you get for putting me in the body of a dog and forcing me into a life of servitude! Whatever you do to me now, I won't regret! I'll die a free man, not dog! Well, come on, what are you waiting for?! Let's see your godly powers!"

I'm taken aback by this display.

Such an outburst by a dog, no, a free man, that simply watched by the sidelines for the majority of this fight.

He spent the better part of his second life stuck in the dog's body, forced to play servant to his master.

And now, he sees the chance to rebel, to break away the chains and join me in my fight against Mendacius.

For his and my sake, we better win. There's no going back now.

Mendacius conceals his anger with a light smirk, asking Bruno

"Fine then, how about I show you an example?"

He points his wand at Bruno, hoisting him into the air.

"Death is near." The god mutters.

Bruno kicks and screams as he is helplessly slammed against the stone wall, releasing a sickening crunch and the horrible yelp of an injured dog.

"No! Bastard!" I scream at the god.

In response to my insult, Mendacius, still holding Bruno in mid air, throws the injured dog at me.

The hairy body slams against me, myself barely managing to catch him, Bruno's sheer force throwing me to the hard ground.

I wince to myself, managing to catch myself on my knees, the bloodied body of Bruno in my arms.

I turn towards him, his body unmoving but still warm, unconscious but severely hurt.

"B-Bruno…" I whisper to him, wetness beginning to grow in my eyes.

No response, only a shallow and painful weeze.

Blood and hair intertwine with my own, the cold weight of Bruno's body growing as he begins to shut down. The ragged breathing only grows more labored and weak as time goes.

"You'll need a few tricks up your sleeve, wizard." I hear Mendacius scoff at me.

Twisting my head up, I see the horrible face of Mendacius.

Now, even if it was originally John's, just by mere association, the figure standing before me radiates nothing but corruption and self serving apathy to the most extreme level.

Slimy smugness and arrogant superiority are all I see know. An evil enemy that needs to be destroyed, face smashed and body mutilated, until only a beaten mass of flesh is left.

My mouth twists into a deep scowl, myself putting Bruno at my side, standing up to face the demon.

He smiles at this.

"You're all alone now, Sempronia..."

I don't even want to hear him!

In blind anger, I snatch up my wand, ignoring the pain from my burnt hand, throwing and casting every last spell I know.

"This ends now!" I scream, continuing my blind bombardment.

He makes use of his godlike speed yet again, and either blocks or dodges each and every spell.

I charge at him, covering my steps with suppressing fire.

Not expecting this sudden rush, Mendacius makes a hasty defense, trying to block my attacks.

Thanks to Mendacius's sloppy defense, I manage to hit him in the leg, the force knocking him on his hands and knees.

Using this to my advantage, I savagely sprint towards him, screaming

"Vega Varulus!"

Using this spell, I augment my leg muscles with magic, striking him in the face. The power flips him onto his back.

"Yeah, now you're starting to understand. I'm more than just your average wizard." I say with pride in my minor victory.

He spits out a mouthful of blood and broken teeth, before looking up at me and…laughing? Not his usual sadistic laugh, but one that resembles a child winning a game of hide and seek.

"What's so funny, Mendacius?" I demand, just his very expression of joy boiling of blood.

He lets out a few more chuckles, before saying

"It's just funny that you think you can still win. For until now, I have but toyed with you."

"Your speeches are beginning to bore me."

He loses his happy face, angered at my refusal to show fear.

"Well then, let me end your suffering." He mutters, before kicking himself back up, wand in hand.

I back up, covering my strategic withdrawal with more lightning than any storm can produce.

I slice at the air with my wand, creating a horizontal line, atypical of the status quo.

With my unusual casting method, combined with the concussion Mendacius surely has, I manage to hit him in the forehead, flaying a layer of skin.

As he reels back, I hit him in the shoulder, with a lightning bolt. His shoulder bursts open, as flesh and blood ooze out.

His wounded arm hangs limp and useless, his wand lying in a puddle of blood.

Through gritted teeth, he growls out

"You've played a good game, boy. But, the game is finished. Now, you die."

He charges at me.

Thanks to his superhuman speed, I hit him only once in the chest, bursting his breast open, himself not even batting an eye.

He punches me in the face, my nose taking the brunt of the power.

Tears in my eyes, I reel back, the god grabbing my wand before shoving me to the ground.

As I lie on the cold hard floor, I watch as he points the wand at me, poised to strike.

The wand flashed as a spell is about to manifest.

In one fluid motion, I unsheathe my pugio, and stab upwards at his hand.

My wand, dripped in his blood, descends to the ground.

Mendacius stares in horror at his hand, as I catch my wand, and fire at his stomach.

He lets out a gasp of horror as my lethal spell travels throughout his body.

I jump up, and aim my wand at his face.

He parries my attack, opening his defenses, allowing me to stab him in the chest.

He drops to the ground, and attempts to crawl away.

He's not getting away from me! His death is near!

I get on one knee, and stab him in the back.

He says something, his voice muffled by the floor.

I flip him over, only to be met with a fear stricken face.

"Please, please don't kill me! I surrender, I submit! Please, put me back in my statue! Put me back in my statue!" He begs.

After all he's done, after all the threats, after hurting me, Bruno, and John Diehl he expects mercy?!

No.

"I'll put you in your coffin!" I cry out, before plunging my pugio into his chest.

Then again, and again, and again, and again…


	11. Aftermath

Cold dry blood clings to my clothing, as I stumble my way through the forest. My hand still suffering from burns, as multiple lacerations are scattered across my body and face. The adrenaline that once fueled my actions has long been burned up, and replaced with an aching soreness. My arms, legs, and face are all sore, throbbing from my recent engagement.

Where will I go now?

My first guess was to go back to the school, maybe seeking the nurse, or shutting myself in my room for a few days. But, can I even approach the school in my current outfit? What will my friends, and teachers think? Will they think I'm crazy, or believe me?

Hell, I don't even believe what just happened!

What was supposed to be a simple solitary study session, turned into an absolute nightmare.

But, at least it's over now, at least now I can try to calm myself. I'll feel better once I get far away from those caves.

I just need to keep moving. Don't look back, just keep walking.

* * *

"So, Ms. Finnalin, may I inquire as to why you asked me to come to your classroom?"

"Yes, Diana. I called you into my classroom to ask for assistance. You see, I've run short on Saint John's Wort, and I'm too busy grading the recent test to restock. Perhaps, you could journey into the forest, and find some?"

Well, it's certainly better than listening to Hannah and Barbara gossip all day.

"Why of course, Ms. Finnalin. Anything for a great teacher."

She smiles at my compliment.

"Oh Diana, always such a charmer." Finnalin says, handing me an empty bag she pulled out of her desk. "All I need is ten samples of Saint John's Wort. Now, I would offer you extra credit as a reward, but seeing as how you already have an A plus, I find that unnecessary."

"Oh please, being generous is its own reward."

"Whoever you marry is sure to be a lucky man, Diana."

Ms. Finnalin looks back down at her papers.

I spot Akko's test on top, unsurprisingly revealing a D.

What an unfortunate girl she is.

"Well, I best be off." I say, turning around to leave.

"Wait Diana, did you notice anything strange last night?" She asks.

I stare at her, confused.

"What do you mean strange?" I ask.

"Well, it's the weirdest thing. I heard a dog whining and thunder. Why, it wasn't even raining."

Well, thunder and rain isn't the most uncommon thing in England, but thunder without rain?

Hmm, didn't Theodore have a lightning spell that he's quite fond of?

That still doesn't explain the dog noise.

"Diana, are you okay?" She asks, concerned by my lack of response.

I give a fake smile, accompanied by a chuckle.

"Oh yes, Ms. Finnalin. I'm quite alright. Well, I'll let you get back to your grading. When you see me again, I'll have ten Saint John's Worts." I say, walking out of the room.

"Thank you again, and please do shut the door on your way out." She requests.

I oblige, slowly closing the door, the last thing I hear from her being,

"Such a good student."

* * *

I trip on a stick, landing hard on the forest floor.

"Theodore, you clumsy fool." I mutter to myself.

I get back on my feet, wincing as my scorched hand makes contact with earth.

I continue to hobble my way through the forest.

I've made up my mind.

If I can make my way to the tower where Volare teaches her classes, I can hide there until nightfall. Then, I can quietly make my way to my room, and clean myself up.

My stomach growls, reminding me that I haven't eaten since I met Bruno.

Oh Bruno, such a foul fate he met. However, his act of valor kept me alive, and thus put an end to Mendacius's plot.

Speaking of Mendacius, I wonder what became of him. What happens when a god dies, or can they even die? From a Christian perspective, when Jesus died he rose from the dead. But, this isn't the Bible. This is real life, full of magic and monster.

I can't shake off the feeling that he's still somewhere out there.

I continue to walk towards Luna Nova, hoping to whatever gods are left that I don't get spotted.

* * *

I eye my bag, which I have filled with Saint John's Wort, as to Ms. Finnalin's request. Looking inside, I count eight, leaving only two to fill my quota.

I kneel back down, and pick the final two from the bush.

Slinging the bag over my shoulder, I let out a happy sigh.

With all the stress of keeping classroom appearances, I forgot the beauty of nature.

The crisp leaves of fall crunch under my feet, as a cool breeze brushes against my face. Perhaps I'll take a little walk to fully enjoy the autumn weather.

I begin my stroll, walking by countless numbers of trees, each one looking more unique than the last. I look down admiring the assorted colors of the leaves.

Suddenly, a shadow stretches out towards me, catching my gaze. I look up, wondering who or what it is. It's definitely a person, someone who is walking with a slight stumble. Perhaps a fellow student, or maybe even someone from the city. But that still doesn't explain the limp.

Since the person was limping, I soon catch up.

With the person in closer view, I'm able to see the figure better, a figure clad in a torn and bloodied Luna Nova school uniform.

Hmm, a Luna Nova student, sounds of thunder, and dog whines. None of this is adding up. I doubt Theodore was attacked by dogs last night, and this was the result.

No I need answers, I need clarity.

I clear my throat, showing whoever it was that they are not alone. The mystery student turns around, revealing their identity.

You know when people say that you can be so surprised that you can't even scream? They were right.

Before me is a bloodied Theodore, with several cuts on his face, and bags underneath his bloodshot eyes, making him look more like a mangled ghoul, than the person I know.

He stares at me with unfocused eyes for several seconds, ended only when his brown eyes begin to well up with tears.

Without warning, he sprints towards me, and hugs me.

His silent tears turn into weeping, as he buries his head in my shoulder.

I am completely caught off guard by his actions.

Theodore, the person who shed not one tear, or let out a single whimper during the whole dragon fiasco, is now shuddering and trembling in my arms.

This is a situation that I have not prepared for.

"Um, there there. It's alright." I say slightly nervous, patting his head.

He continues to weep, turning my stiff collar soft with tears.

"Okay, okay. Let's sit down." I say, leading him to a nearby log.

As we sit, I look myself over.

Thankfully, none of the blood smeared on me, it being to dry. However, my shirt is wrinkled and wet.

I gaze my eyes back to him.

He holds his knees, so tightly that his knuckles turn white. While staring at the ground, an occasional tear drips from his face, followed by short and silent breaths.

My eyes flicker at his attire.

"You're covered in blood." I comment.

"D-don't worry…most of it i-isn't mine." He quietly says.

"Well then, whose is it?" I ask softly, as to not startle him.

He shrinks down, his whole body quivering. I press the issue.

"Theodore, please tell me who it is. I can't help you, if you don't tell me what happened."

After a few moments of silence, save for my nervously beating heart, and an occasional sniffle from Theodore, he whispers out

"W-well, the day after the slumber party w-we had with Akko, I went into the forest to p-practice my magic. I was approached by a dog named B-Bruno."

He takes a deep breath before continuing.

"He…he told me that he was sent by…Mendacius."

The Roman god of deception and lies? But, why on Earth would he want Theodore?

"Bruno brought me to a place in Wales, The Big Caves. Then I met M-Mendacius, he told me that I killed one of his followers, a Cyclops in the labyrinth. He would forgive me, if I brought him John Diehl, a man whose ancestors trapped the god in stone. So, I went to his house, and after a while of discussing, John agreed to go to The Big Caves."

The more Theodore talks, the more he loses his stutter. It seems as though reflecting on the past makes him better able to accept it.

"And just like that, John gave himself up…to save a stranger?"

"Yeah…just like that."

It grows quiet again, perhaps as a moment of silence to John, before he continues his story.

"Mendacius wanted revenge on John, so he possessed him, and made me an offer. If I joined him, he would make me powerful. He would restore my family, he would make me immortal. But the more I listened, the more I became aware of his true self. He wanted to control the world, and would kill anyone who stood in his way. I refused, so he threatened me, he threatened to kill my family, my friends…"

His voice trails off, as the memory becomes too painful for him. He conceals his face in his hand, I note that it's covered in burn marks.

"Theodore, it's fine. You don't have to continue." I try to reassure him.

"No, no. I need to vent." He says.

He wipes his eyes with his sleeve, all the while I'm trying to process this information.

To think, while I was studying and enjoying my break, Theodore was going through absolute Hell. But, what did he mean by restoring his family?

After I ask him this, he gives a little sigh.

"Ah, that's right, I never told you. Do you remember when we first met, and you asked what I was doing here?"

"Yes, you gave me a vague answer, and left it at that."

"What I did not tell you is that my family used to rule over ancient Rome. Once their reign fell, their prestige followed. During The Burning Times, my family stopped the practice of magic, to avoid anyone from dying. I came here to learn magic, and hopefully start our recovery back to greatness."

After that, silence envelops us, save for the natural sounds of the forest. Now it all makes sense. Mendacius saw who Theodore was, what he wanted, and how dearly he wanted it. He knew how to use it to his advantage. He manipulated Theodore, promising him that he would restore the Sempronia family.

But, I suppose killing people was below Theodore.

Although I never had the opportunity to meet these two, for saving someone that I've come to know, I thank them.

"It sounds like they were both good people." I comment, referring to his two companions.

"John was a kind hearted old man. He and Bruno were both honorable men."

Were?

"What happened to them? John and Bruno?"

His eyes water a bit, before he croaks out,

"They died…saving my life."

He said it so full of guilt, as if he blames himself for their deaths. The weight of guilt sits heavy on him.

Even if my shame can't compare to his own, I can relate.

"Look Theodore, I understand what you're-"

"How could you possibly understand?!" He yells, his sudden anger catching me off guard.

He continues his rant, his voice rising with every word.

"You, you're perfect. The star student, the prized pupil. Everyone is jealous of you. Everyone wants to be you. So, how could you, the one can count all the mistakes she's made in her life on one hand, possibly understand?!"

"Because, I've made a mistake too. A big mistake that ate at me, and destroyed my self respect. But, I got over it, and you can too!"

"What? You got a 29 out of 30 on your alchemy test?" He mocks.

"No, I-I was the one who released the dragon!" I blurt out.

This silences him.

He stares at me, with his mouth open, in utter disbelief.

"I've never told anyone that." I confess. "I was afraid, afraid of what others might think of me. For so long I bottled it up. I…I guess I thought that if I kept it a secret, no one would know. But I knew, and I was reminded of it every day I saw Akko. How she was the one who saved everyone, and how I was just left in the corner, with nothing but my own regrets. I-"

He drifts his gaze to me, now bearing a mix of anger and empathy.

"N-no, Diana...you're wrong...you saved me. Not once, but twice that day. You saved me when the dragon was about to crush me, and you saved me from the collapsing ceiling. Everyone else might believe that Akko's victory overshadows what you did, but I don't."

"No, I…" I feel a tear slide down my cheek. "…Oh you fool, now look at what you made me do. I-I put everyone's lives at risk...all because I wanted to find a rare treasure. I'm...I'm worthless-"

I'm interrupted, as he suddenly wraps his arms around me in a hug.

"No, you're not." He whispers. "Diana, you are so very smart, and so very admirable. You don't take guff from anyone, and are always there to defend and comfort those who need a shoulder to cry on, and today is just such an example." He gently says, while rubbing my back in comfort.

"Oh Theodore, why are you comforting me?" I ask. "You're the one who almost died, the one covered in blood."

He hugs me a little tighter, and says,

"I feel like we could both use some comfort."

I feel my eyes begin to water. Not with sadness, but sheer happiness. We continue to hug, none of us saying a word. An ode of silence to your toughened friendship. A friendship which has been tried, a newly formed friendship which has been tested, and a newly formed friendship which has persevered.

* * *

I lay on my bed, wearing fresh clothes. My blood covered uniform lays on the floor, my hair still wet from my recent shower.

This has been quite a day. Yes, quite a day, indeed.

I snatch my wand from my nightstand, and point it at my destroyed uniform.

The blood stained clothing ignites on fire, as it slowly turns into a pile of ash. I levitate it into the trash can, getting rid of any signs of today's engagement.

Although I do trust Diana, I still would like it to be a well kept secret.

Even though she helped me a great deal today, I still can't get what happened out of my mind. What happened before, what happened during, and what was said after.

* * *

Exhausted, I drop my dagger.

Sweat pours from my face, as does blood out of what was once the body of John Diehl, and what was once occupied by Mendacius.

I gasp for breath, as I stare at the scene below me.

John Diehl's dead body, mangled, ripped apart, with multiple holes throughout his body.

I did just as I promised I'd do to myself, face smashed and body beaten and mutilated.

Whether it's my handiwork or the threat now eliminated, I feel a wave of satisfaction rush over me.

I breathe heavily, noticing that a few breaths seem out of place.

Before I start to breath, I already hear an exhale.

Confused, I stop and listen, and sure enough, ragged breathing can be heard coming from…Bruno!

I rush towards him, kneeling over him, as I take in the scene.

He's lying on his back, battered and badly injured, with a few bones popping out of his fur. His breaths are quick and full of pain, occasionally letting out a yelp.

In comfort, I grab his paw, and give it a little squeeze, before saying,

"It's going to be fine, Bruno. I have a friend who can make a potion that'll fix you up like nothing."

"I-I won't survive the trip." He mutters, each word full of agony.

"Alright." I say, grabbing at my shirt. "Maybe, I could make a bandage out of-"

"Ted!" He chokes out.

I stare at him, as he stares back. Teeth gritted, he shakes his head weakly.

"No!" I cry out in defeat.

I can already feel my eyes start to water. Bruno places his paw on my cheek, much like a human would do.

"L-listen…" He grunts out. "…The reason for my resurrection isn't as black and white as it seems. Y-you see…I-I have a daughter, she goes to your school, Luna Nova, and…and I just missed her so much. I just wanted to see her…one last time."

"Okay, Bruno. Tell me who it is, and I'll tell her what you did, how you saved me, and the world." I say softly.

"H-her…he name is…L-Lo…Lot…"

And just like that, he passes away in my arms.

Tears shine brightly, as they stream down my face, as I mourn my fallen friend.

I've never known anyone who's died, before.

Sure, I've been to family funerals, but nothing like this.

After a few minutes of silence, I give him a quick burial in a shallow, unmarked grave next to The Big Caves.

As I do the same for John Diehl, I can't help but feel a wave of guilt now replacing my satisfaction.

What I wanted was to try and preserve him, hopefully finding a way to bring him back.

But in my anger and adrenaline, I destroyed much of him.

No living soul could've survived such a thing.

A bit disgusted by my actions, I take one final look at the mounds of dirt that contain the two people who sacrificed themselves…for me.

"C'è nessun addio, basta vedere più tardi." I say, before beginning my walk.

Not to anywhere in particular, just not here.

* * *

Yes, what was said after was very interesting.

So, the dog has a daughter? Who goes to my school, and her name starts with an L, and O, and a T.

Before drifting off to a well deserved sleep, I eye my calendar hanging on my wall.

Hmm, in three days it's going to be Halloween, or what us magic users call Samhain. The night when the veil between the living and the spirit world is at its thinnest, allowing for easy communication with the dead.

Oh yes, a day like that will be valuable to me, and to Bruno's final request.


	12. It Followed Me Home

It's about three in the morning, as I click away at my computer.

With tired and droopy eyes, I scan through multiple links, each one on the subject of necromancy.

So far, all I've gotten was a rather biased description on The Catholic Encyclopedia, and a few Skyrim character builds.

With this, I go back to the search bar and rephrase my question.

Instead of Necromancy, I type in How to perform necromancy, and click on the first link.

As the page loads up, I notice something in the reflection of my monitor.

As I turn around, I see nothing. Just my room, as dull and empty as ever.

I brush it off, thinking it as just sleep deprivation taking effect, and turn back to my computer. The article has finished loading. I feel a little chill up my spine, as I read the title: satansheaven

I read the article, hoping to get something useful out of it.

'To evoke the dead, the magician needs to obtain the help of powerful spirits, both for his own protection and to compel the corpse or ghost to submit to his will. A spell from ancient Greece calls upon the powers of the mighty Kore, Persephone, Ereshkigal, Adonis, Hermes, and Thoth, to bind the dead. According to a ritual described by Seneca, the Roman dramatist, the summoning of the dead involves not only a burnt sacrifice but a blood-drenched altar.'

Blood, why is it always blood?

And what's up with the burnt offering?

It doesn't matter, I've got a lead now, I can do this.

"Boy, don't you know not to believe everything you read online?"

That voice…no, it can't be.

I spin around, revealing a figure sitting on the bottom of the bunk bed. It's hard to make out in the darkness.

The figure moves its face closer, into the light of my monitor, revealing…

"M-Mendacius?! But, how is this possible?! Bruno helped me defeat you in The Big Caves!"

He lets out a sickening cackle.

"Have you already forgotten? I am a god. You, Bruno, or anyone can never truly defeat me!"

I waste no more time, and quickly reach for my wand lying on my desk.

The old god raises a hand, and I'm thrown back into my chair.

I try to squirm out, but it feels as though I'm being held down by a phantom hand.

"Don't get up." Mendacius commands.

Seeing that my efforts are in vain, I stop struggling.

I stare at him, not daring to blink, to take my eyes off of him.

Fear and anger is what I feel as he stands up and confidently strides towards me. With every step closer, my heart beats faster.

He leans against the wall next to me.

"Do you think Bruno would be alive right now, if you'd just let John have his way? Let him cut me up, like you did?" He ponders, stroking his chin.

He sighs, and with says with sympathy,

"If you hadn't killed my Cyclops, maybe Bruno wouldn't have gone after you, maybe he wouldn't be dead, maybe John wouldn't be dead. If you didn't break our deal, turned on me, it might've changed things."

The more I think about his words, the heavier my heart becomes. Is it really my fault?

I…I killed them.

"Now that is a lie." I hear coming from somewhere new.

I look at the single bed hugging against the wall opposite of the bunk bed. It's…Bruno. He still bears his wounds. Ribs still poking out of his unkempt, patchy fur. His once shiny coat is now dull, covered in dirt as if he just rose from the grave. He is already beginning to rot and decay.

"Do you really think he would've kept me alive after he took over? I died by Mendacius's hands. It went the way it had to, the way it was always going to."

Mendacius lets out a little laugh.

"If you just joined me…if you didn't betray me, it might've changed things. Maybe you could've changed your future."

"The future cannot change

If it could, that would be quite strange."

I look up, spotting someone perched on my top bunk. A silhouette of shadows, armed with a pair of black wings. Is that The Raven Man?!

This is starting to get weird.

"You defeated Mendacius…" Another familiar voice whispers.

I look back at the bed, John Diehl is sitting there. A horribly mutilated face and body with many stab wounds decorate his chest.

He acts as if these injuries don't exist, and is gently petting Bruno.

"…It's better now."

"It is, it's better now." Bruno agrees.

"It's not better now." I hear coming from Mendacius.

I turn towards him. He has abandoned his position by the wall, and is stomping towards me, anger written all over his face.

"You know damn well that-"

* * *

I wake up, my alarm clock buzzing.

Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I click the snooze bar.

Well that was an interesting dream. But let's hope it was nothing more than that, a dream.

I open my closet, looking for a new uniform to put on.

As students, we are given five school uniforms, one for every school day. However, thanks to yesterday's events, I have only four remaining.

I put it on, along with a pair of matching blue pants, as I normally would. I go to the mirror, to see the damage for myself.

Thick and noticeable scabs cover my face, probably going to turn into permanent scars later on in life. I eye my hand, still red and is already flaking thin, dead skin.

Despite all these gross and gruesome injuries, I'm still the most attractive guy at this school.

While I mark down the night of Samhain on my calendar, I notice something peculiar. According to my calendar, our break ends today…huh.

I glance at my clock.

My eyes go wide as I realize it's 8:15.

Oh no, I missed first period!

In a mad dash, I sling on my satchel, and run out the door, but not before putting on the hood that is attached to every uniform. Can't let anyone see my messed up face now, can I? God, I just can't catch a break!

I break out into the hallway, and bob and weave my way through the masses of young witches.

Once the entrance of magic history comes into view, I slow my pace.

I walk into class, and to my seat, shielding my face with a textbook.

God, just a few days ago my stress and worry was at an all time high, dealing with death and gods, and now here I am, worried about making it to class on time, just like another ordinary student.

Sitting down, I pull out my school materials. Paper, textbook, and pencil. Ready to start the day, and put the memory of yesterday far behind me, but not completely.

I plan on visiting the library to research Necromancy spells. After that, it's just a waiting game till Samhain.

Now, I just need to figure out who Bruno's, or should I say, Cooper's dau-

I'm interrupted, as I feel a tapping on my shoulder.

Turning around, I see Akko and Lotte.

"So, Ted how was your weekend?" Akko asks, with that clueless smile of her's.

"It was interesting." I respond. "How was yours?"

I really don't want to talk about it.

"Oh, I loved it! Besides Sucy constantly trying to use me as a guinea pig, and that run in I had with the principal, it was sweet."

I raise an eyebrow at her description.

"What do you mean by 'run in with the principal'?" I ask.

She tries to hold in a laugh, while chuckling out,

"Remember when you walked in on us making a love potion, and we wanted to try it out on you?"

I nod.

"Well, we tested in on Ms. Finnalin by putting it into her soup and…"

Akko trails off, as her attempts to suppress her excitement fail, as she begins giggling into her hand.

"Oh come on, Akko. It wasn't funny." Lotte says, trying to calm her friend.

"Are you kidding me? It was hilarious!" Akko declares.

"What was?" I ask, still in the dark.

"We put it into her soup…and she became a huge eel!" Akko lets out, in a chortle way.

"And then what happened?" I ask, now interested.

"We scrambled to fix her, and when we did, she sent us straight to the principal's office. When we got there, oh boy Ms. Holbrooke let us have it! She yelled at us, lectured us about…well I don't know I wasn't listening! And she gave us detention for the whole break! I would've swapped breaks with you any day!" She proclaims, her past happiness replaced with anger.

I take deep thought in her saying that she would've swapped breaks with me, myself only happy to comply if that could've been the case.

"By the way Ted, what's up with the hood?" Akko asks, pointing at my face.

"The lighting in the room hurts my eyes." I lie.

"Oh, yeah right! If you can take a beating from a Cyclops, then you can take a little bright light."

"Well, I-"

My attempt at lying is cut short by the bell.

Once all the chatter from the students dies down, Ms. Europa begins her lesson.

"I hope all of you had a wonderful break. Now, let's hope the next one will be based on...different circumstances."

A few eyes turn to Akko, while mine gaze towards Diana.

She gives a little wave, as I return the gesture with a nod.

"Now, before I begin the attendance registration, I want all of you to know that in a few days, I will not be here. I am a part of the teacher exchange program. So instead of me, you will be taught by a Mr. Brink from America. I want you all to treat him with respect, as you would with me."

Do my ears deceive me?

Finally, I can be with someone of my own gender.

While most guys would jump at the idea of attending an all girls school, it can become a tab bit lonely. I'm a little let down that he'll be replacing Ms. Europa, even if it is for one day. She's the kind of teacher that you grow to enjoy. I admire her wisdom and experience. Out of all my classes, magic history is probably my favorite, then alchemy or destruction class as a second.

The teacher gazes across the class, taking attendance.

As soon as she sees me, she says sternly

"Mr. Sempronia, we do not wear hoods in class."

All heads turn towards me, making me feel slightly uncomfortable.

"But Ms. Europa, I-"

"No buts, Mr. Sempronia. Now please remove your hood."

My mind flashes to what Ms. Europa did to Akko when she was defied.

Not wanting my face to be slammed into the desk by a pixie, I slowly remove my hood.

As soon as my wounds become visible, I hear gasps and a few winches.

Seeing my face as well, Ms. Europa asks with wide eyes

"My goodness, Mr. Sempronia! What on Earth have you done to yourself?"

I quickly think of another lie.

"Well you see Ms. Europa, I was in my room last night practicing fire magic. I accidentally shot my mirror, and glass shrapnel cut my face."

Hearing that it was from an accident, and not from anything serious, a few sniggers arise from the students.

Believing my lie, she says,

"I'm sure you had quite the break, Mr. Sempronia."

You have no idea.

"Go to the nurse's office, please." She says calmly.

I gather my things, and exit the room, the last thing I hear being Ms. Europa beginning her lesson.

"Alright class, today we will study The Crucible."

* * *

I walk down the lengthy hallway, and to the door titled 'Nurse's Office.'

I guess this is the place.

I push open the door, making my way to the front desk.

A person is tapping away at a keyboard, presumably the nurse. She's young, with short brown hair, glasses, a white lab coat, and a brown undershirt. On the desk is a nameplate, which reads Ms. PagetDaPanda.

I clear my throat, signaling my arrival.

She looks up and notices my face, surprisingly amused.

"So, I assume you're here because you have the flu?" She jests.

"Almost, you can clearly tell what's wrong with my face, but I also burned my hand." I explain, holding out my hand.

"And how did you get these?" She asks, examining my injuries.

I repeat the same lie I told Ms. Europa.

"I was practicing fire magic in my room. I accidentally shot my mirror, and cut my face."

"And the burns?"

"When I was cleaning up, the hot glass burned my hand."

She digs through her desk, looking for something.

"Alright, well if you'll sit there, I'll fix you up." She instructs, pointing to a hospital bed at the far end of the room.

I sit at the foot of the bed, as she makes her way over, holding bandages, goss, a towel, and a potion bottle.

She pulls up a nearby chair, sitting down a few feet from me.

She opens the bottle, and dabs it onto the towel.

"What's that?" I ask.

"A disinfectant potion, it's like a regular antiseptic, but it works a lot better…it also hurts a lot more."

A thin smile grows on her face at the thought of pain.

Damn.

She finishes dabbing the potion onto the cloth, and hovers it in front of my face.

"Sorry kid, this is going to burn like hell. As if someone scooped up a fistful of hell fire, and dragged it across your face like so..."

She then presses the towel against my face.

Pain was what I feel, terrible, horrible, no good, very bad pain.

I grit my teeth together, clench my jaw, and let out a muffled moan.

She smirks at this.

"Usually when I do this, they scream as if they sat on a sword."

I don't say a word as she rubs the potion into each cut.

After applying the disinfectant, she attaches thin white strips onto my cuts.

"So, how'd you say you got these injuries, again?" She questions, while patching me up.

"I was practicing magic, and accidentally broke a mirror." I repeat.

She lets out a huff.

"You're a decent liar, kid. But, unfortunately for you, I can tell when someone is not being truthful." She says slightly annoyed, but never losing stride in her work.

Nervously, I try to cover my tracks.

"Um, no I-"

"No, don't talk kid. Just listen."

I shut up, allowing her to speak her mind.

"Look kid, I don't know what happened, and I'm not going to press the issue. You clearly don't want to talk about it. I don't know if you just fell down some stairs, or got in a fight, but as the only boy at this school, you're pretty infamous around the staff. Even still, a mistake this big amongst the student body is rare at best. But I want you to know that whatever happened happened, and what was done can never be undone. We all make mistakes, big and small. I made them. Before I became a nurse I was involved in a lot of illegal activities, some that were very looked down upon. I used to sleep in the gutter, I shoplifted. Hehe, I know I did, I just can't picture it anymore. It a distant memory now, something that has no real meaning in the now other than a good story. That's the great thing about being human. Horrible stuff happens every day, but we adapt, we get used to it."

"I haven't gotten used to it." I admit, my thoughts flashing back to The Big Caves.

"Of course you haven't. You're a teen. I've had more problems, and more time to cope. Life is unfair. You see, people look at life as 'I am going to be successful no matter what.' But how they should look at it is 'How can I make this day not suck that much.' We stiff up a lip, and get through the day, no matter what."

I feel like that's almost good advice.

She transitions from the bandaging, and begins to wrap Goss around my burned hand.

"Basically bud, my overall message is, if you're going through hell, keep going."

She fastens a pin to my Goss, holding it all together.

She pulls out a mirror.

"So, what do you think?" She asks, pleased with her achievement.

Pretty nice handiwork.

White butterfly bandages cover my face. I count two, one on my cheek, and the other covers an eyebrow. There are also small, minor cuts, but those aren't deep enough for bandages.

I eye the cast.

White goss is wrapped tightly around my right hand.

I nod, giving her my approval.

She reaches into her pocket, and hands me a small form of some kind.

"This will let you take the rest of the day off. I feel like you need it." She explains.

"Thank you." I say, taking the pass and storing it into my satchel.

She walks back to her desk, returning to her past work.

"Well, I won't keep you here. You can leave now."

I get up and walk towards the door.

I manage to open it with slight difficulty, thanks to having to use my left hand.

As I exit the nurse's office, I walk in the direction of the library, knowing full well what I need to do.

* * *

I open the doors to the library.

The only way to describe it is grand.

Leaning over the railing, I count ten wooden tables, each able to accommodate eight students. Bookshelves line the walls. With each shelf being so tall, one would need a ladder to reach the top. And the books themselves? All hardbacks, each from different time periods, and covering a variety of different subjects.

Why, it must have taken the school hundreds of years to collect all of them!

All of this magnificence being covered by a crystal dome ceiling, which is held up by white, polished marble columns.

I walk down the stairs, and browse the bookshelves.

So, what have we got here?

'The Journal of The Forbidden One.'

Sounds interesting, but not what I'm looking for.

'The Titan and Jennifer the Witch.'

I've heard enough about her.

'A Book of Shadows.'

I'm getting closer.

'The Necromancer's Grimoire.'

Huh, sounds like what I'm looking for.

I place the book inside my satchel, and walk out, noting that there isn't a librarian present to check it out.

Oh well, I guess a magic school has the right to do things that aren't the norm.

I walk back to my dorm room, with nothing eventful happening, most likely because everyone is in class.

* * *

Once I enter my room, I sit down at my desk, and begin reading.

At first, I start reading the book normally, but after not finding anything useful after the first one hundred pages, I change tactics, and begin to skim through the book. Hmm, nothing about Samhain yet, but a few of these spells might come in handy.

Ah finally, this chapter talks about Samhain.

I study the information intently, taking every last word in.

'Samhain is the Pagan holiday, which falls on the same day as Halloween. On this night, the veil between the worlds of living and the dead thin. Experts theorize that spirits are allowed to roam free, so long as they have a magical subsistence. It is a fact that magic is created inside of us, rather than the wand. The brain creates it, while the heart distributes is. But if the brain and veins act as the roads, than what is the car? An obscure, but prevalent wizard known as Star Swirl the Bearded hypothesized that blood is the answer. Blood is what carries magic throughout the body. This is why blood magic is so powerful, as they're extracting magic in its purest form. This theory explains why vampires and other undead require blood. Proving a spirit with enough blood allows them to stay in our world longer. Thus, spirits will flock to you if you offer blood.'

I close the book, and let out an annoyed sigh.

Blood, why is it always blood?

Well, I guess we know now.

I dig into my desk drawer, and pull out my pugio.

I managed to scrub most of the blood off, but there's still some, dried and embedded in the carvings of this ancient dagger.

I'm probably the first in my family to use it as an actual weapon.

I look at my calendar again, confirming that Samhain is in two days.

I get an idea in my head. A sick, and insane idea.

I pull out a pan from under my bed, which I use to charge stones. I sit down on the floor, with the pan in front of me, and the dagger in my hand.

I take a nervous breath through my nose. I really don't want to do this, but where else will I get blood?

I pull back my bandages, exposing my burnt arm.

With the tip of the dagger, I gently jab my arm.

No, I'm not going to slit my wrists, and bleed out.

I hold my arm over the bowl, allowing blood to occasionally drip.

After about a minute of this, I suddenly hear a few sharp taps coming from my bedroom door.

With haste, I hide the bowl under my bed. I then pull the bandages back over my arm, while walking towards the door.

With my injured arm behind my back, I open the door with my one good one.

In the doorway stands my blonde friend.

"Diana? What are you doing here?"

"Well, school is over for the day, so I thought I'd check in on you."

This is a bad time to come and interrupt me. Sometimes she can be so nice, it's slightly annoying.

But then again, she was the one in the forest who provided me comfort when I needed it the most.

Not wanting to be rude, I open the door wider.

"Well, come in."

Accepting my invitation, she walks in, and immediately spots the dagger lying on my floor, the tip shining crimson red.

Without taking her eyes off the dagger, she asks,

"So, what have you been up to?"

"Oh, I've…just been taking it easy." I manage to stutter out. "You know...recovering?"

"Uh huh." She says, in an unconvinced tone.

She focuses her stare away from the dagger, and gazes at me.

"Oh my, so this is what the nurse did? She asks, referring to my facial bandages.

I nod, lightly kicking the dagger underneath my bed.

"Can I take a closer look?"

I nod once again, this time feeling slightly uncomfortable.

She leans in closer, staring at my face intently.

My heart begins to beat a little faster. She has on a deep face of curiosity, as she studies the damage.

As time passes, she becomes comfortable with my wounds, too comfortable, as Diana touches one of my cuts, causing me to let out a stifled whimper.

Realizing what she's done, her face turns pink, and she turns her back to me in shame.

"I-I'm sorry."

I let out a little chuckle, lightening the mood.

"Don't worry, getting them was worse."

An awkward silence follows.

During this time, I look at my clock, 4:52 P.M. I guess time flies when you're trying to reverse death.

"By the way, I also came by to give you this." She says, holding out a packet of paper.

I take the packet, and read.

On it are boxes each labeled with people's names, and bullet points describing them. For example:

Abigail Williams:

-Worked for the Proctor household, but was fired when she slept with John Proctor.

-Leader of the witch accusers.

-Gave Elizabeth Proctor a poppet.

This and many other descriptions, for many other characters.

Overall, the packet is four pages long, with little blank spaces. But, what gets me the most is how perfect her penmanship is. If it was any better, a blind man could read it. It's almost calligraphy.

I look at her confused, wondering what this is about.

"When you left, Ms. Europa had us take notes on The Crucible. I thought I might make a copy of my own notes, just for you.

"Thank you." I say, placing it onto my desk.

In Italy, when someone does something nice, we hug. But, should I hug Diana?

She can be an aloof girl sometimes, but I feel like we're good enough friends.

Making up my mind, I take a step towards her, but stop as I see three familiar figures in the doorway.

"Diana?! And just what are you doing here?" Akko demands, hands on her hips, with a lip jutting out in disapproval.

Way to ruin the mood Akko.

Taking the temperature of the room, Diana casually runs a hand through her hair.

"Oh, nothing Akko. I just came to check on Theodore, and seeing that he's fine, I'll take my leave."

As she starts to walk out the door, she says her goodbyes.

"Have a nice night, Theodore."

"You too, Diana." I say, while smiling.

And with that, she's gone, leaving me alone with the three witches.

"So, Ted…" Akko begins, rather calmly "…WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED BACK THERE?!"

My smile drops at this sudden change of tone. People who can change personalities just like that make me nervous.

"What do you mean?"

"What do I mean?! You! With all the lying! You sadistic, sociopathic, masochist!" She clenches her fists and inhales deeply in pure rage.

Whoa, just take it easy Akko.

"You know Akko, only one of those words applies to him." Sucy says in her classic monotone manner.

"You know what…shut up!" Akko demands, stomping her foot for emphasis.

"Akko, give him a break. He's obviously been through a lot." Lotte requests, defending me.

Sucy is unfazed by her friend's yelling, as she aimlessly walks around my room. S

he stops at my desk, noticing the book.

"The Necromancer's Grimoire." She reads aloud.

She turns her gaze to me and casually asks,

"Who kicked the bucket?"

I stare at her, with a mix of irritability and slight contempt.

Honestly, why can't this girl just mind her own business?!

I answer her question with a lie.

"Nobody. Nobody died. I'm just doing a little light reading."

"Yeah right." She mutters, flipping through the book, stopping at the page I bookmarked. "What have we here? Proving a spirit with enough blood allows them to stay in our world longer. Thus, spirits will flock to you if you offer blood."

She closes the book, and looks at me.

"You know, Samhain is in just a few days. I just got the feeling that there's a connection here."

"Be quiet, Sucy." I growl, the combination of what happened and all the yelling finally beginning to boil over.

Plus, Sucy isn't helping.

Noticing that the Filipino is on the move again, I ask

"What are you doing?"

She ignores me.

"Now, if I was blood, where would I be?" She asks herself, stroking her chin.

With a bit of thinking, she snaps her finger.

"Oh, I know. Where do bad things hide?" She asks, walking towards my bed.

"This is my room." I remind her, my anger now becoming apparent.

"Sucy, I think you should stop." Lotte suggests.

The alchemist ignores her, digging her hands under my bed.

"Ah-ha!" She cries out, pulling out the bowl. "And what we got here?"

She holds out the container for her acquaintances, revealing to them about a shot glass full of blood.

Lotte's eyes widen, while Akko sticks out her tongue in disgust.

Sucy shows opposing emotions, putting on one of her sadistic smiles.

"Jeez Ted, I didn't know that you are a cringy, edgy, emo. So, who's the blood for? Are you reviving an ex girlfriend, or a-"

"Sucy, get out!" I yell at her, my last nerve gone, and hopefully so will she.

Hearing the sheer anger in my voice, her eyes widen.

She defensively puts her hands in the air.

"Look bud, I'm sorry-"

"Leave!" I demand, interrupting her apology.

Realizing that she can't talk her way out of this, she sighs and walks out, Akko and Lotte in tow.

I let out a sigh of my own, slumping myself onto the floor.

This just isn't my week.

I eye my cast, reminding me of what happened, what could've happened, and what can still happen.

Overall, today has been an interesting day.

I had a nightmare, got a pep talk from a nurse, read a book about necromancy, and…yelled at a friend.

No, don't feel bad about it. She had it coming, she went too far.

As long as I can get ready by Samhain, I'll be fine.

I look back at my bowl.

Yeah, I need more blood.

I grab my dagger, and pull back my bandages for the second time.

As I'm about to make a fresh cut, I hear a weak, yet warm voice coming from the door.

"Hey, Theodore."

I look up, revealing Lotte standing in my doorway.

She smiles sweetly before saying,

"I just want you to know that you're not alone. You have your friends here to help you through this. I know what it's like, to want to bring someone back. You see, my dad died when I was little. That's why I started to communicate with spirits. Whenever I felt sad, the fairies would make a rainbow. It was always so beautiful. Over time, I got over it and accepted his death. I'm sure that with help from friends, you can do the same."

She turns back to the hallway.

"Well, I hope you have a lovely night."

And with that, she closes the door.

My mouth hangs open in shock.

Of course, it's Lotte. It's been Lotte this whole time. An L, an O, and a T. How could I be so dumb?

Bruno…Cooper, dog or human, I know how your daughter is, and I know what I must do.

* * *

 **Author's Note: I hope you all had a merry Christmas, and I hope you are all currently having a blessed Yule, a happy Hanukah, or whatever you celebrate. Also, how many of you already knew that it was Lotte? Put it down in the comments below. Also, I was very pleased to see that I was not only getting views from The United States and The United Kingdom, but also from Canada, Puerto Rico, The Netherlands, The Philippines, Argentina, France, and Poland! It's amazing that so many people, of so many different nationalities have come together in the spirit of Little Witch Academia. With so many people reading, I want to be more active with the audience, I want your option and your feedback. So, please do not hesitate to comment. I'll ask a question to arouse you. What do you like about this fan fiction? What do you want to see more of? What do you want to see less of?**

 **Also in the news for the Little Witch Academia anime series:**

 **A new trailer has been made:**

 **2016/12/20/two-little-witch-academia-tv-commercials-hit-web/**

 **But, even bigger news:**

 **Constanze has a confirmed voice actor! So, let's hope that she will talk, instead of doing her regular grunting and groaning.**

 **Also I'd like to thank PagetDaPanda. I'd like to thank him for all the support he's given me from the very beginning. Ever since I published the first chapter, he has been there. I'd also like to thank spacby, who has also been here from the very beginning. Right before I publish a chapter, we read it together as he gives his feedback, and opinion. Thank you both!**

 **And finally, the best for last. This is a response to the guest, also known as NightcoreMiku who has made some memorable comments:**

 **"My dog is dead too. Do you listen to Pierce the Veil? I feel like we have a connection."**

 **No I don't listen to Pierce the Veil. I listen to The Ridiculous Six soundtrack.**

 **"Hey, it's me again, NightcoreMiku, the dead dog guy. Do you wanna meet up and have brunch? I feel like we could have a great time."**

 **Yeah, we can have brunch. Where do you want to meet up?**


	13. Nightmares and Daydreams

The bell rings, ending magic history class, and beginning brunch.

Without waiting for Akko, Lotte, or Sucy, I pack up my materials and walk out of class.

I stroll down the hallway, and lead myself down the stairwell, sitting at one of the empty tables, unaccompanied.

After recent events, a bit of alone time is just what I need.

Sucy was acting like a jerk, and deserves a bit of silent treatment, perhaps more.

Wait, what am I saying?

She had no idea what she was talking about, how hurtful she was really being. But, she was still hurtful. Honestly, I'm not sure what to think. I haven't been in my best mindset nowadays.

Whatever, that's not the here and now. The here and now right now is my break. So, let's take a break.

I pull a book out of my satchel titled 'The Brink of Salvation'.

Apparently, Mr. Brink, the guy that's going to be teaching us in a few days, wrote a book. After reading the introduction, I peek my eyes over the top of the book, watching Akko's table.

Sure enough, all three are laughing and having a great time…without me.

I grumble at this, turning my gaze back towards the book, and begin reading the first chapter.

'Hi, I'm Lord Brink. I enjoy attending Trump rallies, and lynching Communistic Atheists, who are aligned with Allah, also known as the average European. I believe that we should stop sending foreign aid to Europe, and all of their states. We should start a coup to take out the King and Prince of Europe (TrigglyPuff and Michael Moore). I recently invested myself in the teacher exchange program, with the hopes of being called to Europe. But, why would I want to go to such an inhospitable place? I hope to teach those uncivilized Europeans in the art, the culture, and the correctness of Americanism.'

Just what kind of book is this?

The bell rings, starting my least favorite class, flying with the kind and courteous Volare.

I place the confusing book back into my satchel, getting up and walking down the hall, towards the tower.

After a few feet I make a sharp turn, seeing Lotte and-

I collide face first into her companion.

The witch falls down, a hand covering her face.

In a familiar voice, I hear her moan out,

"Owww…"

Wait, is that…

The mystery girl uncovers her face, revealing…Akko.

Her face is strained in pain, accompanied by a bloodshot eye.

"Oh man, I'm sorry Akko."

She takes my hand, as I pull her to her feet.

"Jeez Ted, I think your nose jabbed me in the eye." She mutters weakly, rubbing her injured eye.

Ignoring this microaggression, I ask

"Were you two on your way to broom riding class?"

"You betcha! Me and Lotte were." She exclaims, pointing to our mutual friend.

Lotte lightly waves at me, greeting me with a

"Hello Theodore, I hope you had a nice night."

I wave back.

"You too, Lotte."

"Now if you two are done, can we get a move on?" Akko urges.

"I didn't take you for a school girl, Akko." I comment.

"Me? A school girl? Yeah right! I just don't want to be late every day. I want to pass, ya know?"

Don't we all.

All three of us walk down the hallway, and enter the tower.

Not much has changed. The statue of Jennifer the Witch is still standing, the students are still grumbling, and Volare is still irritating.

"Alright, I hope during the break ya managed to put down your CS:GO, and practiced your broom ridin'! For today…we're havin' a flying test! Now let's get a move on!"

No further information is needed, as we all follow her to the top of the tower, where Akko had her ugly wipe out.

Hopefully she'll do better this time.

As we stand in a line facing the open sky, Volare further instructs us.

"Now I'll randomly call out ya names. Once called, I want ya to fly around the tower, and make your way back here. Got it?!"

A few students answer affirmatively, while most grunt out something incoherent.

I quietly thank Bruno for showing me how to fly before his last day. But with this cast on, how can I hope to touch the sky?

Volare scans the crowd, calling out the name of her first test taker.

"Alright…Da Hubba Hubba!"

Da Hubba Hubba? What kind of name is that?

A slightly nervous witch, with snow white hair steps up.

She gives a weak nod before taking flight. After a smooth glide around the tower, she's back on the balcony.

Why was she so nervous? She did fine.

"Very nice." Volare comments.

"Now…..Soprano!"

I facepalm myself.

"It's Sempronia." I inform her.

"Always with the negatives are we, Soprano? Just fly!"

"Well, normally I would, but I can't. It's not that I'm unwilling, but I'm unable." I say, holding my cast out for all to see.

"Well, I hope ya got those injuries practicing. Anyway, ya got lucky this time. So, I'll choose….Kagari!"

She points her gloved finger at the witch.

As Akko's eyes widen, her skin grows pale.

Fear visibly consumes the young witch, as she begins to shake.

Looks like she could use a helping hand.

"Don't worry, you'll do fine." I tell her. "And afterwards if you're still feeling down, I'll tutor you."

"He's right, Akko. It's time you face your fears." Lotte chimes in.

Akko chokes down a heavy gulp, muttering out,

"Y-you're right, both of you. I just need to remember what Shiny Chariot said. 'A believing heart is your magic.' I can do anything if I just believe. Right?"

"Mm hmm, you have to believe in yourself." I advise.

"Theodore's right. You can have all the skill in the world, but it won't matter if you don't trust in your own abilities." Lotte recommends.

"A-alright. I trust you two. Thanks."

Impatiently, Volare demands

"Are you three done, or is Kagari going to fail…again?!"

This arouses a few chuckles from the other students.

Facing humiliation from her peers, Akko gains sudden courage.

"You're wrong Volare! All of you! Now that I believe in myself I can do anything! Just like Chariot taught me!"

"Chariot again?" A student mutters.

Akko strongly stomps towards the open platform, each step full of determination.

She puts her broom into position, and pushes off.

As soon as Akko leaves the safety of the balcony, she choppily grinds through the air. Despite her subpar maneuvers, Akko never looked so happy.

She triumphantly throws her hands in the air, crying out,

"I did it! I-"

Without holding onto the broom, Akko quickly loses control. She drops like a stone, kicking and screaming all the way down.

She's going to be fine, right? Yeah, she'll be-

My train of thought is cut off, as a loud crack is heard from down below.

Dreadfully, I jerk my head towards the grass ground.

Akko lies there face down, an occasional jerk coming from her leg.

God, I really hope that sound came from her broom.

"Akko! Are you okay?!" Lotte cries out.

No response. Why is there no response?!

With haste, Lotte zooms past me, flying towards Akko. I quickly join her, full of great fear for our friend. We land on solid ground, and sprint towards her.

Please be okay! Please be okay! Akko's details slowly come into view. It doesn't look like she's moving, and that red puddle. Is that…is that blood?! No! No! No! NO!

I flip Akko onto her back. Her eyes are glazed over, her nose broken, and worse of all her head is split open, a warm flow of blood drips into the puddle. Like a waterfall flowing into a river.

"Akko?!" I yell out, shaking her violently.

Like talking to a wall.

A few tears slide down my face, mingling with her blood, creating a diluted red mess.

This wouldn't of happened if I didn't talk her into it.

Just one more death I've caused...

Choking back more tears, I whisper out

"A-Akko, I-I'm…I'm sorry."

As I weakly turn my gaze to Lotte, I moan out,

"L-Lotte I'm sorry…so very sorr-"

Even through my tear stained vision, I can tell that something is definitely wrong. In front of me is a rotted and decayed dog. A boxer…is that Bruno?

He looks down at me, anger and rage boiling in his eyes.

"You will be." He grunts out.

He suddenly throws himself onto me, tearing into my throat with his rotten yellow teeth. My vision darkens, as the blood slowly drains from my body.

"Oh yes, yes you will…"

* * *

I awake with a start, heart pounding to the point of pain.

Shaking and trembling in a cold sweat, I swiftly dart my head around, taking in my surroundings.

I give out a sigh of relief, as I realize my location.

My bedroom.

So, it was just a dream? But, what kind of dream was that?! No, it was no dream, but a nightmare. A nightmare about Akko…dying.

Just thinking about it sends deep chills up my spine.

I examine my clock, 1:23 AM. School will be starting in about six hours. I lay back down, closing my eyes, trying to fall back asleep. Akko's mutilated face flashes in my mind. The overwhelming feeling of dread, the look of despair in Lotte's tear soaked eyes all spiral into one ugly image.

I reopen my eyes, and just like that, the images have disappeared. Disappeared, but not gone.

Who could forget such an image? An image of blood and death. An image of nightmares, my nightmares.

That's the second night in a row I've had horrible dreams.

First a dream about Mendacius, Bruno, and John Diehl, now a dream about a close friend's death, and if I go to sleep again, what dream will await me next? Diana getting her head smashed in a car door?! No, I won't allow myself to dream of such things.

I just…I just need to stay awake.

At least for now.

Six long hours have passed since that horrifying nightmare, and for six long hours I have successfully avoided sleep.

However, I am now beginning to feel the negative impacts of sleep deprivation.

This is awful, considering we're learning something new in Alchemy class.

I swear, the only thing keeping me awake is the fact that we aren't provided with any chairs.

The constant standing really limits my options for comfort.

Thankfully, despite my lack of sleep, I can still pick up on what Ms. Finnalin is saying, as she introduces today's lesson.

"Good morning class. Before we begin I would like to inform you all that tomorrow is Samhain. It has come to the staff's attention that a large number of students here are unsurprisingly Pagan, or of similar religious backgrounds. Because of these current statistics, tomorrow's school day will be cancelled. Use this day as you please. Spend time studying, revere your ancestors, or simply enjoy it as most others will: Halloween."

Well, I know how I'll be spending that day.

I turn my gaze to Lotte who is standing attentively with Akko and Sucy, who are both not standing attentively.

Is Lotte really Bruno's daughter?

It all fits together. The L, the O, and the T spell out the first letters of her name. Plus, she did tell me that her dad died.

But how can I be sure that she is the one? I mean, everyone's dad dies eventually, and I'm sure someone else at this school shares the same first three letters of her name.

I guess the only real way would be to ask her. But how would that even be brought up?

I just can't walk up to her, and ask if her dead dad's name was Cooper, can I?

Additionally, I won't be surprised if she didn't believe me if I told her that her dad lived his final years in the body of a dog, and fought against a Roman god.

I let out a tired yawn.

Oh well, I'll think of something. I better pay attention to Ms. Finnalin. Sounds important.

"Today class, we will learn one of the most important alchemical knowledges to witch kind: Magicus Synthesis. That is, the ability to create synthetic magic."

Hearing this sends the class into a collective murmur.

Most discuss what they think it is, and how to perform it such magic. Sucy however, is practically bursting with excitement. While it's not so easy to tell from her face, as it's in her normal bored state, her eyes tell all.

Opened as wide as a Filipino can muster, they sparkle with delight, and shine like rainbows. Yeah, Sucy seems pretty happy.

But synthetic magic? This goes against what Bruno taught me.

I raise my hand in question, awaiting the teacher's response.

"Yes, Theodore?" The teacher asks.

"Why do we need to learn Magicus Synthesis? I thought you create your own magic from your brain."

"Well-"

"Ms. Finnalin…" Diana interrupts "…If you don't mind, may I answer his question?"

The teacher nods, not at all surprised by the blonde's participation, and really, so aren't we.

Given the okay, Diana walks into the center of the room, allowing all to hear.

"What you say Theodore is true. Magic can be created in the brain, but not all witches and wizards possess this skill. Only those who have great magical talent, as well as full control over their own mind may perform this. To supplement this lose of magic, both The Sorcerer's Stone and Magicus Synthesis were created."

Ms. Finnalin smiles at her well worded answer.

"Well done, Diana."

"Oh please, it was nothing." Diana exclaims, returning to her table.

So, only the highest level mages can tap into their inner magic?

I wonder if I can do that. No doubt Diana can.

The teacher continues with her lesson.

"As Diana stated, Magicus Synthesis is used for those who cannot fully embrace the magic inside of them, and are out of range of The Sorcerer's Stone, or other magical emitting items. Magicus Synthesis is a potion that once drunk, replenishes your magical energy-"

"It's like some crappy Skyrim knockoff." I hear Sucy joke.

A few classmates stifle their laughter, as others let it out freely.

Ms. Finnalin clears her throat, regaining the classroom's attention.

"However, Magicus Synthesis cannot be created alone. It can only be made by a group of witches or wizards whose hearts are all aligned in one common goal. They attain this mutual understanding by offering items they hold dear. One for each participant. The offering may be a family heirloom or a childhood drawing, as long as there is a connection."

There's no way I'm chucking my pugio into some vat of bubbling brew for school credit.

"Now, the day after Samhain, we will attempt to create Magicus Synthesis. I want all of you to bring something near and dear to your heart."

As she finishes, the bell rings, ending the period.

As the class makes their way out the door, and to their next class, I find it hard to really walk at all.

My legs ache terribly, every step is heavy and awkward sending pounding pain to my…headache?

Where did this come from?

With difficulty, I manage to shuffle my way out of the room, and into the hallway. Surprisingly, awaiting my presence are Akko and Lotte.

Sucy is gone, probably on her way to her next class.

"Hey, Ted! It's about time you got here." Akko says, her cheerful voice feeling like knives in my head.

We begin walking to our mutual class, continuing the conversation.

To ease my pain I rub a hand against my head, pretending to be simply scratching.

"Uh huh." I grunt out.

Akko scans me over, looking up and down my person.

I can only imagine how I look.

A cast, facial bandages, and visible purple shadows under my eyes.

I must look like a war torn Tomoko.

Finally, Akko comes to a conclusion.

"You look awful." Her smile never leaving her face.

I feel awful.

"Nah, I'm fine. Just didn't get enough sleep last night."

"Whoa, really? Last night I had a dream that…"

Her words fade to nothing, as I lose interest.

As she continues her rambling, I drift off in thought.

Sucy.

I wouldn't be surprised if she completely forgot about last night.

I've more or less gotten over it, but I still can't help feeling a little apprehensive.

She hasn't even looked at me today, so that could be a sign that something is amiss.

But, that can be shrugged off by the fact that she was nose deep in a book titled 'Fundamentals of Spiritual Alchemy.'

Also she's, well, Sucy. Not the most social person.

"…and after the mayor congratulated me, I woke up!" Akko exclaims finishing her dream.

"That was very interesting, Akko. It was better than the…last fifty times you told me." Lotte says, trying to be as supportive as possible.

Walking into magic history class has never been so satisfying.

Finally, after my long march, I can sit down.

And I do just that, sitting in my front row seat.

I'd be jumping for joy right now, if I wasn't so tired. Did I mention I was tired?

No matter, once brunch begins, a nap will be very helpful.

As soon as I made contact with the chair, I just drop, slumping in place.

I must have been more tired than I thought.

It's one of those tired states where you feel sleepy, but you're too drained to care. It feels as though a storm cloud has covered my brain. What I'm saying is I'm very tired. Do you get it? I'm dead tired.

So tired that whatever Ms. Europa is saying comes out in incoherent pieces.

"…Crucible…John Proctor…Mary Warren…Poppet!"

I pick up my pencil, trying to copy down any notes that might come my way.

However, whatever I manage to write down comes out as broken small squiggles.

I drop my pencil, the whole room begins spinning.

I collapse, slamming my face against the hardwood desk.

The teacher's lesson becomes more distorted, more inaudible, as I slowly drift off into a deep sleep.

* * *

The first thing I notice are my surroundings, or rather, lack thereof.

An empty void, swirling with colors of blue, black, and purple, making it look like space, or perhaps a galaxy. The second thing I notice is how cold it is. White mist oozes out of my mouth with every breath, replicating that of a smoker. The third and final thing I notice is that I'm anything but alone.

Standing in front of me is the Roman god of deception and lies.

He smirks at me.

"Hello, boy. Come for a little visit?"

"Mendacius?!" I cry out, a mix of anger and terror audible in my voice. "Where am I?! What are you doing here?! What am I doing here?!"

He chuckles at my confusion.

"The one and only. Did you like that little dream I made for you? A unique creation in god's image. Although, it was rather unfortunate for your friend…"

My eyes widen at his confession.

He created the dream?! He scared me into staying up all night?! He plagued me with the thought of Akko's death?!

"That was you? You made that awful dream?!"

He tilts his head to one side, smiling at my painful memory.

"Yes, and I might be the god of deception and lies, but trust me when I say there will be many more."

His threat replaces my fear with intense anger.

"I swear, I'll kill you." I mutter.

"Oh? How do you plan on doing that?"

"I've beaten you once before, and I can do it again."

"Hehehe…boy, I'm omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. I know the past, present, and future. I am a god."

"You're also a liar."

He lets out a dry, little laugh, before giving out a satisfied sigh.

"You see, that's your problem right there."

"What's my problem?" I demand.

"You always call me a liar, when you're no better. Claiming that our scuffle was nothing more than a little accident. Lying to your teachers, to your friends…oh I believe I'm beginning to rub off on you."

He begins to walk towards me.

"But that's not the only lie you've told. You told me that you'd bring me John Diehl, that you would set me free. You had no idea what you were talking about, did you? You went along with my orders, hoping it would be alright in the end. And when the time came, did you take my offer? Did you seize the day? No…and when I told you I could restore your family's legacy, you rejected me."

He is now standing right in front of me.

"Do you know what my favorite part about this whole ordeal is? The fact that you don't know anything. You don't know if this is a dream, a vision into the future, or your current reality. For all you know, you died in The Big Caves and this is the Hell I've created for you."

"I know enough." I tell him, choosing not to ponder his words. "I know what this is, and what's going on. I know that this is not my dream, but your dream. A dream where I'm at your mercy, and you have the whole world under your boot. But hear me now, as long as my heart still beats, this dream will not become a reality. Over my dead body." I state in a matter of fact kind of way.

"That's the idea…but enough talk, I must go now. Make no mistake Theodore Sempronia, you and I still have unfinished business."

"Like what?"

He thrusts his face mere inches from mine.

"Your soul!"

* * *

A shrill ring echoes throughout the darkness of this empty world.

My headache had lessened, but is still a noticeable handicap.

I blink my eyes a few times, coming back into reality.

I feel a wet stickiness on my cheek.

Looking down, I realize that I'm back in class.

With a sleeve, I brush the drool from my face.

Letting out a small yawn, I lean back into my chair.

Everybody is gathering their school supplies, and heading out the door, brunch has begun.

I stand up, albeit clumsily, and stretch my legs.

Slinging my satchel over a shoulder, I walk into the hallway.

Despite that…whatever that was, a dream maybe, I'm feeling much better now, still tired, but less than before. Oh, why am I even lying to myself? I know full well that this was not a dream, but a vision. Mendacius is still out there, plotting and planning. I just hope that he won't rear his ugly head for a while.

Ah, none of this would've happened had I just joined a normal high school.

Life would've been boring, but at least not dangerous. But then again where else could I learn magic? Online? I already tried that, and it was a complete failure.

Never mind that, it's brunch now, and I should consider taking a quick nap.

But first, Lotte.

Samhain is tomorrow, so I'll need her on board. But to do that, I would need to tell her everything. It would be easier if we were both alone.

I've got an idea.

I walk down the stairs, and towards the trio of witches.

Surprisingly, the first person to acknowledge me is Sucy.

Once she spots me, she looks down, and seems to be at a loss of words.

"Look…um…Ted, I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I shouldn't have meddled with your feelings, especially on such a touchy subject. Can you forgive me?"

I'm caught off guard by her sudden apology. This is unlike her.

Whatever, she's not my priority at the moment.

"Uh huh." I mutter, ignoring her.

I turn my attention to Lotte.

"Do you have any plans after school?"

She stares at me blankly.

"Um no, why?"

"I was wondering if you and I could hang out."

Akko decides to jump into our conversation.

"Ooh, that's a good idea! We could all hang out!"

I wave her suggestion away.

"I was thinking just Lotte and I."

"Oh…okay." Akko mutters, slightly saddened.

"So Lotte, what do you think?" I ask.

She puts a finger to her chin, thinking about my offer.

"Hmmm, after school I need to visit The Magic Items Café. But, after that, I don't see why not."

Magic Items Café? As long as I can talk to Lotte.

"Sure, that sounds fine. We can meet up after school, say the front gate?"

"That sounds fine."

Seeing as our conversation is over, in an uneasy voice, Sucy tries to repeat her apology.

"Are we good now-"

"Excuse my interruption, but I must speak with you, Theodore."

Turning around, I spot Diana, with Hannah-Barbara on either side.

Are those two ever not shadowing her?

"Yeah, so like, stop talking and get over here!" The brown haired one orders.

I know their names, but I have no idea which witch is which.

Honestly, who does? They're nothing more than Diana's shadows.

I turn back to the trio.

"I'll see you two later, and Lotte, I'll see you soon."

With that, I get up.

Once I reach the other trio, I notice Diana is bearing a stern look on her face, and has her arms crossed in disapproval.

What's going on?

"Hannah, Barbara, please leave us alone for a while." Diana commands.

Her words were couth, but her tone of voice was anything but that.

Honestly, what's going on?

Her two lackeys then break away from us, leaving me alone with a very disgruntled Diana.

"So Theodore, how was magic history? Learn anything new?" Her cold tone never fading.

I can face off against a Cyclops and never shed a tear, I can go toe to toe with a Roman god and come out on top, but keeping my cool in front of an angry Diana? Impossible.

"Uh…yeah, I learned a lot…a lot about…magic history." I answer rather nervously.

"Well, that's rather amusing, considering it appeared you were sleeping."

I'm too shocked to speak.

My mouth hangs open, as Diana continues.

"Theodore, that little lie may work on those three…"

She points behind me, in the direction of Akko, Lotte, and Sucy.

"…But you should know without a doubt that I'm far too intelligent to believe something like that. I remember full well what transpired two days ago, when you emerged from the forest covered in someone else's blood. As a friend, I must ask you, are you developing nightmares as a result of that incident?"

Of course I am!

What kind of person wouldn't?! What happened still shakes me to the bone, and haunts me every day!

But, I can't tell her that. I need to be strong. I need to be brave.

"N-no, I just studied a bit too much last night."

She furrows her brow, obviously not believing my false claim.

"Theodore, if what happened that day is so bad that you've become an insomniac, then as a friend, I have no choice but to inform the principal of this development. Good day, Theodore."

With that, Diana turns her back to me, about to walk away.

No! What am I saying?! I need help!

"Diana, wait!" I cry out, grabbing her by her shoulder.

No more lies, no more holding back, I'm ready to tell her.

I trust her.

I let out a sigh, and with visible effort, and a stain in my voice, I tell her my honest feelings.

"I feel as if I should be angry with that dog, with Bruno. Or that I must not forgive myself for not recognizing the nature of my situation. For not being aware of what I was getting into, and especially since I went along without thinking. I could have told Bruno 'No, I'm not doing it. I don't want to go to The Big Caves.' But I didn't do that. I was just too curious. I also didn't realize that fate would take me somewhere I really didn't want to be. Because of this, because of how avoidable the whole situation was, I find it hard to forgive myself."

She turns around, an eyebrow raised, wanting and waiting for a deeper explanation.

"I'm responsible for both of their deaths, John Diehl and Bruno. Stuff like that can mess you up, you know? Cause nightmare. Bruno's final wish was to see his daughter one last time."

Her face and tone softens, now getting a better understanding of the situation.

"So, you feel not only responsible, but obligated to satisfy his request?"

I nod weakly.

She returns to her normal friendly manner of speaking to me.

"Although I condone the practice of Necromancy entirely, I have educated myself on the subject. Might I suggest a read of 'Forbidden Rites' by Richard Kieckhefer? I believe there is a copy located in the school's library. But be warned, Necromancy is a dangerous practice. So please, don't be careless. I hate careless people. That's why I like you."

She turns back around, walking towards her two waiting friends.

"Diana, thank you."

She stops, and without looking back says,

"You're quite welcome, Theodore. However, I suggest you simply let the dead be dead."

And with that, she walks back to Hannah and Barbara.

As those three disappear from view, I turn my attention to the other trio, specifically at Lotte.

So, today's the day I find out for sure.

Tomorrow is Samhain and a great amount of preparations need to be made. But how to spend the remainder of this break?

I was originally going to catch up on some much needed sleep, but given the nature of my recent dreams, I think not.

I eye the book stored in my satchel.

The book written by Mr. Brink, 'The Brink of Salvation.'

Yeah, something like that might work.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Well this chapter has been a grinder for me, but I'm pleased with the results, and I hope you were too. Please review! Emphasize on the please. I need your constant love and admiration.**

 **And of course my monthly response to the man, the myth, the legend himself: NightcoreMiku**

 **"Thanks for responding. Let's meet up at Oakdale High School, CA, 95351 zip code. We can go shooting."**

 **Sure, I can bring my Buzz Bee Tommy 20, or maybe my Nerf Vulcan EBF-25. What do you want to bring, and when are we going?**


	14. A Liar's Confession

A cool breeze brushes against my bandaged face, as I sit on a wooden bench in front of Luna Nova.

The autumn leaves descend to the ground, completely covering the grass in a brown blanket. What was once lush green trees are now a shadow of their former self. The dead branches sway and occasionally fall, over time creating a pile of kindling. An occasional student passes by, either on their way to the dormitories, or hurrying to an after school club. Overall, the lack of life, both plant and person, makes the whole world seem dead.

Speaking of dead, tomorrow is Samhain. The wheel will turn, the veil will thin, and the dead will rise. But none of that will matter unless Lotte joins me. So, where is Lotte?

I doubt that she's the type of person to betray her word, but I can't be too sure. She's a quiet girl. I've never had a real conversation with her. Just a 'Hello' and a 'Hello' back.

However, I will not forget how she revealed a sad secret to make me feel not so alone. She cares for her friends. Yeah, she'll be here.

I let out a tired yawn. I just need to wait.

To pass the time, I open up 'The Brink of Salvation.'

Nowadays, laughs are in short supply, and this book supplies.

'The question that has been brought up the most is, why does Europe refuse to modernize? Well children, I have finally cracked the code. I know why Europe still fights with muskets and cannons. They refuse to modernize simply because they want to return to their glory days, to their colonial days. As we all know, Europe is just a massive slab of concrete. No plant life exists. They survive solely on American foreign aid. We are currently giving them 6.02 X 10^23 tonnes of aid every hour. Three-thirds of this is given to the King and Prince of Europe.'

Three-thirds of 6.02 X 10^23 tones of foreign aid every hour?

Yeah, that's roughly what we get.

I'm interrupted from my reading, as I hear footsteps echoing against the cement ground. Looking up, I spot Lotte standing in front of me, bag in hand.

"Hello Theodore, are you ready?" She asks, smiling warmly.

Finding it infectious, I return her smile.

"Yes." I say, putting my book back into my satchel.

Standing up, I notice that, like me, she's wearing the standard witch garb, minus the blue cloak.

Yup, both of us are ready for a day on the town.

"You said you had to do something first?" I inquire.

She nods her head.

"Mhm hmm, I need to refill my potions at The Magic Items Café." She states, holding out her bag, exposing countless empty glass vials.

"What kind of place is this, anyway?"

"They service various magic items, and you're served tea while you wait." Lotte informs me.

A magic shop that serves you tea? What comes to mind is a fancy French café, complete with big, comfortable chairs and an on call waitress, bending to the needs of the customers. Sounds interesting.

"Lead the way." I request.

* * *

She leads me through town, past many stores and restaurants, crossing multiple streets in the process.

Across one of those streets is The Cotton Lounge, and next to that is The Magic Items Café. I have to say, it's a bit disappointing.

In front of me is a small shop, squeezed in between two larger ones.

In the windows are magical related commodities, including a spider statue, numerous brooms, and a witch hat. Hanging from the roof are multiple skeletons, jingling in the wind. A sign reads 'Shop and Café.'

This isn't at all what I imagined.

As Lotte and I enter, a bell hanging from the door rings, signaling our arrival.

"Welcome!" A cashier from the counter shouts.

He is an overweight man, with long, shaggy hair, a beard, and dark circles around his eyes.

"I'm here to refill my potion bottle." Lotte informs him, handing him a ticket of some kind.

The man takes it, looking to over with his tired eyes, before saying

"Ah yes, Ms. Yanson. Come with me, please."

Lotte follows him into the back room, leaving me in this little shop of horrors.

As those two talk business, I wander the store.

One of the shelves bears creatures stored in glass jars of formaldehyde, one of a dragon, and another of a lizard. A second shelf contains many jars and urns, all empty, bearing etchings and symbols I can't even begin to decipher. A third shelf holds the skull of a unicorn and the jaw of some monster. All of this, combined with the dimly lit candle light, gives the store an almost underworldly atmosphere.

In a corner, I spot two tables, one having four chairs, and the other having two. Is this the tea area?

Very underwhelming.

The chiming of a bell echoes throughout the shop, someone has entered.

Turning towards the door, I spot an overweight, out of shape, balding, lonely man.

Is that…

"Beef Mc Whatnow?" I ask, hesitating slightly.

As he catches my gaze, his round face transforms into a mix of shock and terror.

What? Why is he looking at me like that? I put a hand to my face, touching my bandages.

Is it these? I've never had a problem with people staring, no one has. I'd like no one to point out this elephant in the room. I mean, they're there, that's obvious. No need to point out the obvious.

Beef Mc Whatnow suddenly, and violently shakes his head, trying to shake off his frightened look, his fat folds flapping around wildly.

He trots next to me, looking me over.

Please don't talk about my bandages. Please don't talk about-

"I have to apologize for something." He states innocently.

Of course. Why would I expect anything else?

"What?" I ask.

I'm beginning to wonder if this guy is joking around, or if he actually thinks he did these things. Trying to figure this guy out is really confusing, so I don't.

"When I walked in, I thought your nose was a banana slug."

This doesn't help my confusion.

"It's just that, from a distance, your nose looked like a huge banana slug." He explains.

How does one respond to such a statement?

"Looking back on it, I realize that's not a very nice thing to assume. So, I was wondering if I could have a quick hug of forgiveness."

I wonder what'll happen if I say yes.

Best not to, there's no telling what this character will do.

"No thank you, I'm fine."

"Alright, bud."

With that engagement over, I turn my attention back to the shelves.

Scanning each item, until I reach the back wall. Something there catches my eye.

A broom of some kind, strapped to the wall with metal chains, held in an iron cage. Walking towards it, I get a closer look. Interesting. The broom is longer than most, appearing to be made out of metal, with a red paint job. Even more unlike most brooms, this one has an arrow shaped tip, and feathers at the end. It also has two metal bars, probably intended for the rider to hold-

I'm drawn to a silence as the broom begins to shake madly in its cage.

It clangs and scrapes around, begging to be set free.

What is this?

I notice a picture frame next to the cage, containing a newspaper clipping. Perhaps, this will give me some insight.

'Legends of Shooting Star:

Not much is known about this magical object. It is theorized that this is the fasted broom ever conceived. It is said that it can fly across the Atlantic in one day. As its name suggests, when the broom reaches such speeds, it resembles a shooting star streaking across the night sky. The broom is filled with its own magical energy, allowing it to be out of range of The Sorcerer's Stone. Besides that, nothing has been confirmed.'

Fastest broom in the world? Legendary artifact? Why is such a thing rotting away in some shop? It has much more potential.

Why, I bet this broom belonged to Jennifer the Witch. She always manages to sneak her way into my day one way, or another.

Even still, I have to admit, Shooting Star is an epic name for a broom.

Getting back to myself browsing, I notice Beef Mc Whatnow scanning over multiple items, including something called chameleon tongue candy.

He takes it in his meaty hands, looking to over.

Once satisfied, he casually slips it into his coat pocket.

"I didn't take you for a thief." I comment nonchalantly.

Honestly, nothing he does can surprise me.

He looks at me confused, before giving a hardy chuckle.

"A thief?! Ho-Ho-Ha! Naw, this is my brother's store. I get free stuff." He explains.

"Your brother?"

"Yeah, my brother. Chicken Mc Whatnow."

Chicken Mc Whatnow?

"The cashier?" I inquire.

"Yeah. In a few hours we're going to have a family reunion, if you want to stay and meet the folks."

What kind of family reunion occurs at a shop?

"No thanks, I'm uh…"

My voice trails off, as I think of an excuse.

Thankfully, I spot Lotte coming out the backroom, Chicken Mc Whatnow in tow.

The two brothers notice each other.

"Beefy!" Chicken happily shouts.

Beefy?

"Chicken!" Beef Mc Whatnow responds.

The two giants clash, embracing is a deep and passionate hug.

Lotte and I meet halfway.

"Did you refill your bottles?" I ask, trying to ignore the two elephants in the room.

Lotte nods contentedly.

I eye the two members of the Whatnow family, both still hugging.

"Can we leave now?" I ask Lotte, slightly annoyed by the Whatnow brothers.

"Um…sure." She says, not understanding my annoyance.

Both of us begin to walk out, only stopping as Beef Mc Whatnow slides in between us and the door.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! You absolutely must introduce me to your friend!" He happily demands.

Whatever will get us out of here.

"This is Lotte." I impatiently say, pointing at my companion.

Lotte extends her hand, offering a handshake.

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Whatnow."

He accepts her handshake, violently and vigorously shaking her hand.

"Oh please, Mr. Whatnow is my dad. Call me Beef."

Lotte lets out an uncomfortable chuckle, gently rubbing her hurting hand.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Beef. But we really must-"

"Why don't you stay?" Beef suggests.

I decide to take charge of the situation.

"Oh no, that's fine. You're having a family reunion and all. We wouldn't want to hinder-"

"Oh nonsense!" He declares, waving my excuses away. "As far as I'm concerned, you two are already apart of the family!

If I was drinking water, I would be doing a spit take all over Beef Mc Whatnow.

I let out a nervous little laugh.

"Oh, well we can't. We're uh…on a date!" I blurt out.

Lotte stares at me, mouth agape, a shocked look in her eyes.

"Huh?" The Finnish witch eeks out.

"Oh, I see." Beef says, slightly saddened. "Well, I hope you two lovebirds have a good time!"

"But we-" Lotte begins, only to be interrupted by me.

"Thank you Beef, I hope you have a nice family reunion."

I put an arm around Lotte's back, gently pushing her out the door, as I follow.

Once the door closes, Lotte immediately begins to fidget in place, barely managing to form audible sentences.

"Th-this isn't…a d-date is it? I mean, you're a g-great guy and all, b-but-"

"No Lotte, this isn't a date." I inform her. "I just needed an excuse for us to leave."

Hearing this, she visibly calms down. She's still tense, just less.

"So, are you free now?" I ask, brushing that incident to the side.

"Yes." Lotte nods affirmatively. "What do you have in mind for today?"

I gaze around the street, taking in my surroundings.

I spot a convenience store, and a restaurant. C

ome on, I need to find some place for us to go. This whole trip would have been wasted otherwise.

Lotte notices my restless eyes.

"Are you alright Theodore?" She asks, slightly concerned.

"I'm fine. It's just that I haven't explored this town much, so I have no idea where anything is."

Lotte smiles happily.

"Oh is that all? Well, lucky for you The Magic Items Café isn't the only place in town I've been. So, where would you like to go?"

That's a good question. Where do I want to go?

Optimally, some place quiet with little to no people. A place without prying eyes, a place where I can tell Lotte my story.

"Let's go to a real café." I request.

* * *

"What would you two like to order?" The waitress asks.

"May I have French vanilla tea, please?" Lotte requests.

She nods at Lotte's request, before turning towards me.

"And you, sir?"

"I'll just have water."

After writing down both of our orders, the waitress walks back inside.

It's a nice day out.

The British weather has allowed slightly gray skies, producing a refreshing cool breeze, completely alien to the hot and humid Mediterranean so far from here.

I've always preferred colder weather.

The café is a small, but quaint coffee house situated next to a park. Given the cold weather, the inside is relatively full of people anxiously awaiting their hot beverage.

Only Lotte and I occupy the outside area, sitting around a circular table, both of us on either side.

Now, on to the matter at hand.

How will I go about telling Lotte about her possible dead dog dad? Getting straight into it may be a bad idea. Lotte is a sweet, but sensitive girl. I just can't force it, I have to ease my way in with small talk, use some of that Italian charm.

"Lovely weather we're having." I comment, trying to kick start our conversation.

"Oh yes, it is. It's much warmer here, than it is in Finland."

I give a little laugh.

"Funny, I like it for the opposite reason. It's colder here, than it is in Italy."

Lotte returns my laugh with her own.

"Yes, that is funny."

Good good, Theodore. You're warming her up. Keep talking.

"So, how has school been for you?"

"Oh, it's been fine. I'm passing all my classes. What about you?"

"Same, mostly B's, but I do have an A in Destruction Magic. That'll balance out the C I have in flying."

Oh Volare, how you always hinder me.

Whatever, she's the teacher, she knows best…I can only hope.

"So, when do you get your bandages and cast off?" Lotte asks.

"I talked to nurse PagetDaPanda after school. She said I'll get my bandages off next week, and my cast in about a month."

She nods at my response.

The Lotte from a few hours ago would have never asked such a question without a stutter, or a pause.

This is progress, but progress that needs to progress even further.

I'll try talking about her. Women like that, right?

"What do you do for fun? Besides commune with spirits, I mean."

She suddenly beams with new found charisma.

"I like to read. For example, I'm really into an amazing series called Nightfall."

Her eyes practically beg me to continue the conversation on this book.

How could I refuse her pleas?

"What's Nightfall?"

As these words slip from my mouth, Lotte skin grows gray, as she suddenly slips into an appalled state.

"What?! How could you not have heard of it?!"

This sudden outburst catches me completely, and utterly off guard.

I never thought she could get the volume of her voice past one decibel.

Remember how I said facing a disgruntled Diana was impossible? Well, knowing how to handle a loudmouth Lotte is impossible times infinity.

Answering her question would probably be a smart idea.

"Um…well, in Italy there isn't a big demand for foreign books. What's it about?"

At this point, it's as if Lotte is possessed by excitement itself.

"Nightfall is a series of novels that have been a huge hit all around the world! Belle, a high school science teacher who got cold feet just before her wedding, visits a manor house, and falls through a mysterious portal to the past, where she meets a handsome man named Edgar. But then she finds out Edgar is a vampire! Belle is thrust into a tempest that shakes the very foundations of history! It's a story of love, adventure, thrills, conspiracy, friendship, and youth! It's a literary epic encompassing every genre imaginable, and is presented as a historic fiction novel for girls! Up until now, there have been 364 volumes. My favorite character is Edgar's rival, the werewolf Arthur. No one is more charming than him! Get it?!"

I'm stunned, stunned and shocked.

Not by the description, but by how Lotte said the description, her tone of voice.

Every word was uttered with an amount of bravado and detail I didn't know she had. I never thought she could mutter anything more than a whisper.

But here she is, raving over her reading regiment. I never would've believed it, if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes.

"Sounds like a New York Times bestseller." I comment. "But, 364 volumes? The author must be dedicated to her work."

"Yes! The author, Annabel Crème, is a witch who's been writing the series for 120 years."

Very dedicated!

The waitress return, handing Lotte her tea, and me my water.

"If you two need anything else, just flag me down." She offers, before walking off to tend to the other patrons.

Okay, I feel like I've made great progress bringing down Lotte's natural nervousness. Perhaps a little more dialogue, just to be sure.

"So, what did you need to fill up those bottles for?" I ask, pointing to her bag which is hanging from her chair.

"I need them for tomorrow, for Samhain. The potions help me attract spirits. They just get so lonely, being in the underworld and all…" She trails off, slightly saddened.

I know a spirit who might want to chat with Lotte.

This is a golden opportunity to start that conversation. How could I pass it up?

"Interesting…" I begin "…I'm communing with spirits, as well. Well, only one. A friend."

Lotte looks at me, slightly saddened.

"Oh, I'm sorry that your friend is no longer with us. Who was it?" She asks.

Nice Theodore, you naturally caught her interest.

Now, all you have to do is, with carefully chosen words, tell her. Tell her about your break, about Mendacius, about Bruno, Cooper, her dad.

"I only knew him for two days, yet he is someone I'll never forget…I don't think I could. You see…"

I stop, as I think. I need to choose my words carefully, very carefully.

"He died during the break…for the second time in his life. He died saving my life from the very thing we are supposed to revere, god. The Roman god of deception and lies, Mendacius."

"W-what?" Lotte whispers out, disbelief written all over her face, dripping from her voice.

I don't blame her.

"These injuries are from the incident." I explain, showing her my physical evidence. "The cuts underneath my bandages are from a magical whip, and the cast…hiding burns."

"I…I thought you got those from a study accident. That's what you said! You….you broke a mirror, right? And you burned your hand on the glass? Y-you lied?" She whispers out the last part, a hint of betrayal in her voice.

"Yes, I lied. I lied about my injuries, and what happened during my break. The day after the sleepover we had in your dorm, I came across something peculiar in the woods, a talking dog. This talking dog told me his name is Bruno, and that someone even more peculiar wanted to meet me, Mendacius. Mendacius tasked me to find John Diehl, a man whose ancestors, along with Jennifer the Witch, fought against him. Once I brought John to Mendacius, the god took possession of his body, and made me a deal. A deal that involved the death of the many, for a gain of the him. I refused, and, to make a long story short, Mendacius tried to kill me. I defeated him, but Bruno died in my arms-"

"Please Theodore, stop. My…my tea is getting cold." Lotte mutters, both of us knowing that's not the source of her discomfort.

I don't blame her.

Discussing death has never been good table talk. But, she needs to know.

I need to keep pressing her.

"But, I never told you his real name. In his final life, he was known as Bruno. But, before then, when he was human, he was known as…Cooper…Cooper Yanson."

I pause, staring at her longingly, expecting a response of some kind, any kind.

But I get none, as all Lotte does is stare blankly. Perhaps out of disbelief, perhaps out of wonder, but it isn't out of agreement.

After a long silence, I hear Lotte utter these words.

"Theodore…if that was a joke, it wasn't funny."

She doesn't believe me.

This is a perfectly reasonable, and entirely expected.

Even though I saw this lack of belief coming, just hearing her utter those words provides me with great worry. If I can't convince her, this whole crucible would have been for naught. And how might Lotte think of me afterwards? No, failure is not an option!

"No Lotte, I'm telling the truth. Your dad was a dog. He-"

"How can I believe you?!" She suddenly erupts, throwing me completely off guard. "You lied about your injuries! You sat there in class and lied straight to my face! Not only to me, but Sucy, and Akko! To Ms. Europa!"

Her face is red with anger, as her glasses glaze over with a silver tint.

This wasn't expected.

"Lotte, I-"

"And that's another thing! Do you have any idea how long it took Akko and I to convince Sucy to apologize?! And what do you do? You ignore her! How much of a pompous snob are you to do that?! Get off your Italian high horse!"

What's going on?! This whole plan is collapsing around me, and I can only watch!

I must act now before it is too late!

"No Lotte, please-"

"I don't know how you found out my dad's last name was Cooper, but don't talk about him like that! Claiming that he was just some dog! Do you have any idea how hurtful that is?!"

With the majority of her anger gone, she stops momentarily, sniffling as fresh tears drop from her tired face, from sadness, from rage, probably both.

Instinctively, I reach out to comfort her.

She bats my hand away with her own.

She gives me one last look, a look of sadness, disappointment, and depression before forcefully standing up, turning around, and walking away, not even look back.

That's it, she's gone, leaving me alone with my grief, as she leaves with her own.

No…no…no…NO! This can't be happening! Oh, why is this happening to me?!

I came to this school to learn about magic, not fighting Roman gods, and breaking hearts!

I swear, one day this school will be the death of me.

I want to feel angry at Lotte, but I can't help but be angry with myself. What was I thinking? I spent all this time putting her in a state of comfort, a state of trust, and what do I say?!

'Your dad was a dog.'

Disgusting, horrible, awful, worthless. T

hat's just what this day is…what I am.

Making Lotte weep? It's almost a sin to do that, such a low brow move.

I may have few friends, but that's the way I like it.

Quality over quantity is what I say.

But what happens when you have neither quality nor quantity? You're nothing.

I need to amend these fences that I have just destroyed, destroyed and pulverized without any regard!

I look down in shame, catching the reflection of my face in the water cup.

What greets me is a bandaged up, baggy and sunken eyed, sad man.

Funny, when I first entered this new world, I was a fresh faced boy, barely able to manipulate any kind of magic.

And now…my magical skills have increased, but everything else has decreased.

I may be a good wizard, but I'm a bad friend.

I need to stand by, and cherish the few friends that I have.

With all the energy drained from my body, I lay my head down in my folded arms, wondering just what to do.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Well this was depressing, huh? It has come to my attention that my one year anniversary for this fanfiction is coming up soon. I have been thinking that I may make an anniversary special to celebrate this occasion. It will be not be a part of the main story, a fanfiction of a fanfiction. Basically the main three think that Theodore may have some ulterior motives for joining Luna Nova (A boy attending an all girl's school). It's basically the plot of Mean Creek, that movie with Josh Peck. It's going to be full of strong language, out of character moments, and awkward laughs from the readers. But, you will pick your poison. Shall it be the anniversary special, or just the main story? You decide!**

 **Don't forget to leave a comment! I need your constant love and admiration.**

 **And of course my response to the man, the myth, the legend himself: Nightcore Miku**

" **It's me, Nightcore Miku. It's great that you can come! I'll bring my Mac10 and AK. We can do it the anniversary of Columbine. When we play, here's the point system: Jocks-5 points. Nerds-1 point. Popular People-4 points. Teachers-7 points. Administrators-8 points. Parents-3 points. I hope to see you then!"**

 **School shooting is a bit unoriginal, don't you agree? How about a school bombing?**

 **P.S. this meme has gone too far, Nightcore Miku. Maybe a bit more subtle next time.**


	15. The Anniversary Special

**Author's Note: Whoa! Here it is, the long awaited and massively anticipated anniversary special!**

 **Before we get to it, let me answer a few questions:**

" **Oooooo an anniversary special? Would love to see that...**

 **Also are the updates monthly?"**

 **Mostly they are. Sometimes, I post a week early, and sometimes I post a week late.**

" **I was scrolling down - and noticed my name :D Am I a nurse then?"**

 **Yeah you are, you're also in chapter 12.**

 **You are about to read the anniversary special of Little Wizard Academia. The language is real, the out of character-ness is real, the feels are final! This is the Anniversary Special!**

* * *

All of us, Akko, Lotte, and me, of course, are lounging around in our dorm room. I sit in my bed, reading "The Alchemist." Day one has passed, and things have gone relatively smoothly. I got through my classes, and even got some poor sap to try out my potion.

Speaking of which, why is a boy in an all girls school, anyway? I can only thing he's in it for his own sexual gratifications. I eye my two dorm mates. Akko is busy tonguing her Shiny Chariot poster, and Lotte is communing with a spirit. I sigh as they won't address the elephant in the room.

"What is it, Sucy?" Lotte asks, breaking away from her spirit communications.

"I just can't shake the feeling that that guy is up to no good." I admit.

"What do you mean?" Lotte asks "Theodore seems like a nice guy. He even spent time with us during brunch." She points out.

"Wait, what are we talking about?" Akko asks, butting into our conversation.

"We're talking about the big nosed Jew, who thinks this school is nothing more than an all you can eat pussy bar, and he eats for free." I say bluntly.

"S-Sucy!" Lotte stutters out in shock.

"But, I thought he was Italian." Akko says.

"Even worse! Italians are notorious for being greasy skinned, sex offenders."

"Now that's enough, Sucy. You can't assume he's a pervert based on a stereotype." Lotte says.

I close my book and set it aside, being fully into this conversation.

"Let me ask you something, Lotte. When you first met that spaghetti bender, didn't your face turn red, huh? You went weak at the knees, and ran away from him?"

"Well yes, but I was shy-"

"See, what did I tell you?" I ask, cutting him off. "He wasn't going for small talk, he was trying to get into your pants."

She goes red at this claim.

"Alright Sucy, that's en-"

"Wait Lotte…" Akko says "…I think Sucy's onto something. I mean, think about it! That guy, Theodore Soprano, or whatever his name is, was behind me during the opening ceremony, probably trying to sneak a peek. Oh, I feel so violated!" She grunts, red faced, and full of rage.

"Ya see, Lotte? Even Akko has noticed foul play."

"Well…I-I don't know…" Lotte says, her faith in the boy beginning to waiver.

"Just look at the facts, why else would a teenage _Italian_ boy go to an all girls school? Why, I bet he's jerkin' his gherkin right now."

"That's disgusting!" The Finnish girl exclaims, sticking out her tongue.

"It may be disgusting, but it's the truth, Lotte. I think we should teach him a lesson."

"A skiing lesson?" Akko suggests.

"No, since he wants to whip his dick out so bad…I say we let him."

"Wha-wha-what?!" Lotte cries out.

"I say we get him to come with us into the woods. Then we can get him to strip naked, and leave him. He'll have to go back to school nude, hopefully he'll get expelled."

I feel the corners of my lips rising into a smile.

"Oh Sucy, that's so mean, that's sick!" Lotte protests.

Ignoring her, Akko asks

"So, how are we supposed to get him to drop his pants, anyways?"

I put a hand to my chin, thinking for a bit before saying

"Oh, I got it. We all know that he has excessive pride. So if we dared him, there's no way he'd refuse."

Akko gains my same sadistic smile.

"Girl, I like the way you think."

"Well, I think it's mean and uncouth."

"Shut up, Lotte! We're doing this for every student here! It's about time someone took out that snob!" Akko cries out.

Lotte sighs, before turning back to her spirit friend.

"So it's settled then." I say "We strike tonight."

* * *

Us three walk over to his dorm, which is oddly located on Floor: 3, Room: 333. I knock on his door, and in a few moments the serial rapist opens the door.

"What do you three want?" He asks, still dazed from his slumber.

"You want to hang out with us at Mean Creek tomorrow?" I ask.

"Why Sucy? You three hardly know me. Why would you want to hang out with basically a stranger?"

Damn, he pegged us good. I quickly come up with a lie.

"Tomorrow is Akko's birthday. She already invited us, but three people at a party is no party at all. We know no one else, so Akko personally asked for you."

His lips begin to curve up, but are pressed back down, probably thinking perverted thoughts.

"I-I would love to." He says.

"That's great! Come by our dorm tomorrow at around three!" Akko exclaims cheerfully.

"I'll do that. Cha-bye-bye." He says, before closing the door.

I turn to Akko, smiling.

"He said he would love to."

"Oh, I would love to." Akko says, in a mock voice of Ted.

As we walk back to our dorm, I notice Akko skipping alongside us.

"What's gotten you so upbeat?" I ask. "I practically had to drag you to his dorm."

"Oh Sucy, I'm just so excited! Not only are we going to catch a creep, but I get _free presents_!" She chants out the last two words.

"I still don't think this is a good idea." I hear Lotte mutter.

I turn back to her. By now, Akko has stopped her skipping, as we both stare at the girl, confused.

"How is this not a good idea?" I ask. "We're trying to expose him for the sex maniac that he is before he has time to snatch our snatch."

"Yeah! Do you want to get raped?!" Akko adds.

Lotte sighs deeply, before saying weakly

"No, Akko, I do not want to get raped."

"So, stop your whining!" Akko demands.

I sigh out loud. I wish my cohorts weren't so dumb.

* * *

Some time earlier…

I wake up to the sound of someone tapping at my chamber door, only this and nothing more. Who could that be at a time like this? I was having some sweet dreams about babies getting their head smashed in car doors.

I open my door, and see Akko, Lotte, and Sucy. Those are their names, right?

"What do you three want?" I ask, still groggy.

"You want to hang out with us at Mean Creek tomorrow?" The Filipino alchemist asks.

"Why Sucy? You three hardly know me. Why would you want to hang out with basically a stranger?" I ask in confusion.

After a moment's hesitation, Sucy answers back.

"Tomorrow is Akko's birthday. She already invited us, but three people at a part is no party at all. We know no one else, so Akko personally asked for you."

I was taken back. Not only by this sudden invite, but by the fact that Akko personally asked for me. It's only been two days since I met these three, but they already consider me a friend. I force down a smile, as I answer back.

"I-I would love to."

Akko beams at my acceptance, and cheerfully says

"That's great! Come by our dorm tomorrow at three!"

"I'll do that. Cha-bye-bye." I say, whilst closing the door.

I feel like if they can accept me as a friend, then I can stop trying to sound so formal. Honestly, it's exhausting, especially trying to do so in a foreign language. Now, what should I get Akko for her birthday? An idea pops into my head, an idea that makes me smile just thinking about it. Yes, she will love it.

* * *

"So, do we all know the plan?" I ask my two underlings.

"Yes, of course!" Akko answers enthusiastically. "What was it again, Sucy?"

I roll my eyes at her mixed responses.

"We're going to take the olive blooded boy to Mean Creek. There, we are going to play a few rounds of truth or dare. You know, ease our way into more personal dares. Once it starts to get hot, we'll dare him to strip naked, and jump in the creek. By the time he gets out, we'll be long gone…and so will his clothes."

Akko lets out a squeal of pleasure, kicking the air with delight.

"Shut it, Akko. Do you want to wake up Lotte?" I point a slender finger at our Finnish friend who is, as stated, lightly sleeping on the top bunk, probably getting ready for what's to come. Not Ted.

"Oh Sucy, I just can't help it. I get giddy every time I imagine it!" Akko cries out, throwing her hands in the air, and shaking them like she just don't care.

I find her abundance of energy disturbing.

"Jeez Akko, don't pop an ovary." I snark at her. "Although, I'm sure Ted-Ed would love to do that for you." I add.

"S-Shut up!" Akko demands, turning a shade of red.

I stare at her innocently.

"Oh, Akko gets the anal?"

A slight rustle is heard from the top bunk.

"Huh? Anal?" Lotte groggily whispers, now arising from her slumber.

"N-No!" Akko denies. "We said uh…analyze?! Yeah analyze! We're analyzing our plan for Ted!"

Nice save, Akko.

Lotte gingerly puts on her glasses, blinking multiple times to wake up. She sits up in her bunk, and peacefully yawns, before saying

"Oh, that's weird. I could have sworn you said-"

She's cut off, as a few sharp knocks are heard coming from the door. We all stare, wondering who it could be. Probably Ted-Talk, eager to whip is wand out, and I'm not talking about magic.

Akko says a quick prayer for protection, before opening the door. She spots something in the pedo's hands. Instantly her materialism kicks in, as Akko's once worried demeanor is discarded in the presence of free stuff.

"Wow, is that really for me?!"

He smiles, probably thinking perverted thoughts.

"Who else? Here, happy birthday Akko."

He hands her the present. Akko suddenly and violently begins to claw her way through the wrapping paper, the excitement of wondering getting to her. I wonder what it is, as well. Probably a dildo or perhaps several condoms filled to the brim with his ooey gooey. After a few more seconds of tearing, Akko lets out a squeal as if someone broke her hymen.

"Oh wow! How did you know that pickled plums were my favorite food?!"

"Magic." He answers back.

I roll my eyes at this. What a dumb response. I swear, after today, this guy's going to be just another image on Rotten dot com.

Without a moment's hesitation, Akko unscrews the jar, and empties it into her mouth, soaking her shirt and face. Oh yeah, a little wet T-shirt for the Italian Stallion. Akko gurgles on the juice, as someone would do with, well, the ooey gooey. This is slightly arousing me.

"Oh Akko, you're a mess." Lotte sighs out.

Yeah, a hot mess.

"Who cares?! It'll all wash off in the creek anyways!" Akko reasons.

"Speaking of Mean Creek, when are we going?" Ted asks.

I can see him sweating with anticipation. He really wants to see us in the buff, huh? Who can blame him? I look damn good in a Speedo.

"Right now." I declare impatiently. "Akko's already opened up her presents before you came. There's nothing keeping us here."

"So, where is it?" He asks.

I smile, thinking about the day ahead, the plot.

"It's in the forest near here, follow us. This will be a day to remember…"

* * *

Some time earlier…

I stand in front of their door, Akko's gift in hand. Her favorite food, wrapped in blue wrapping paper, and decorated with mini birthday cakes. After a few knocks, the birthday girls herself opens the door. Her eyes sparkle, as she marvels at her present.

"Wow, is that really for me?!" Akko ponders happily.

It's as if Akko's excitement is contagious, as I soon feel a spark or two of happiness.

"Who else? Here, happy birthday Akko." I exclaim, smiling, handing over her present.

As soon as it reaches her hands, she begins violently ripping at the wrapping paper, exposing what's inside.

A little excited, aren't we?

She gives a cry of delight, holding up the present triumphantly.

"Oh wow! How did you know that pickled plums were my favorite food?!"

"Magic."

Akko quickly and skillfully tears off the lid, and dumps the contents into her mouth.

Unsurprisingly, most of it soaks her face and shirt.

Maybe a little too excited.

"Oh Akko, you're a mess." Lotte sighs out.

"Who cares?! It'll all wash off in the creek anyways!"

"Speaking of Mean Creek, when are we going?" I inquire.

"Right now." Sucy declares. "Akko's already opened up her presents before you came. There's nothing keeping us here."

"So, where is it?"

Sucy smiles, saying

"It's in the forest near here, follow us. This will be a day to remember…"

* * *

With a flick of my wand, the rowboat is placed carefully in the water. As I hold it in place, I look at the other three. Understanding my gaze, Akko, Lotte, and Sucy ease their way into the boat. Once in a comfortable position, I cancel the spell and jump on, as the boat begins to float down the river. I ease my way into a comfortable position as well, me in the back. Ahead of me is Lotte, then Akko, and Sucy taking the front.

But honestly, it doesn't matter what position we're in. Just a few days ago, I was in Rome, sitting around, planning my family's resurrection to greatness, longing for excitement. Now, I have it. The wind is blowing through my hair, shimmering trees line the bank, and I'm here with…friends. I feel a smile tug at the corners of my mouth. What could go possibly wrong today?

* * *

After a few calm minutes of weightless drifting, something comes into view. It appears to be another raft, a crudely made, wooden one floating towards us. As the raft comes closer, the occupants come into clearer view. A young dirty boy, probably around thirteen years of age, is accompanied by a black man in tattered clothes. What is this? The four of us can't help but stare out in confusion as the raft crosses our path. Once in such close proximity, the kid quickly attaches a rope to our boat, and pulls hard, connecting our two boats together.

"What the hell is this?!" Sucy protests.

"Are you guys pirates?" Akko asks, full of innocent curiosity.

"Please don't steal our booty!" Lotte pleads.

"Who are you?" I ask.

With my question being the only reasonable one, the boy looks at me, and says in a deep southern accent

"Howdy, ma name's Huck, an' dis here's Jim."

He points to his black friend.

"Aye, Zimbabwe!" Jim randomly calls out, his booming voice echoing throughout the surrounding area.

A boy and an adult, traveling alone down a river? Why does this kid speak in a southern accent? And why are these two dressed like they're living in the bayou? Huck continues his explanation.

"And ya' see, we was on our way to Kairo, when we caught ourselves in a mighty storm, and we was blown here. You reckon ya' can point the way to Kairo?"

"And what is this Kairo?" I ask, trying to hide my abundant confusion.

Jim decides to speak up.

"In Kairo iz bah nigger no mo'. In Kairo iz bah Jim."

What are they talking about? Kairo? Wait a second, does he mean Cairo?

"Cairo is in Egypt, we're in England." I inform them.

"Oh shoo' master Huck. We's be off caurse. We's not in Peegypt."

Nervous by this sudden news, Huck looks up at Jim.

"Do ya' reckon we'll get there soon, pa?" His eyes full of worry.

Jim shoots him a cold glare.

"Ah ain't yo pa."

Coming to grips with this sudden revelation, Huck's eyes roll into the back of his head, as he passes out, collapsing into the raft. What the hell is going on?! We need to get away from these two as soon as possible!

Quickly, I unhook our boat from theirs, and give the side of their raft a little push. The raft begins to slowly drift away. Jim doesn't notice however, as he's knelt down, checking over an unconscious Huck. Slowly, but surely, their raft heightens the distance between us. As they drift down the river, and out of sight, I see Jim violently shaking his fallen friend, screaming

"Why, Huck, doan de French people talk the same way we does?"

All us four can do is stare. Stare at each other, hoping to find some answers to this peculiar situation. We find none, as our cluelessness is the status quo among us. Those two came out of nowhere, and those two left quickly, making me wonder what the point of that engagement was.

"Um…yeah…" Akko mutters.

"Uh huh." Lotte responds.

"Yup." Sucy adds.

"Those two are…um…" I begin.

"That they did…" Lotte agrees with my half made claim.

"Is anyone else wondering how they came to us?" I ask.

"What do you mean?" Akko inquires.

"The river, they floated towards us, against the tide, and floated away, still against the tide. How?"

Silence is the only answer that greets me. No one knows, and no one cares enough to think about it. After a few minutes of awkward silence, save for the sounds of the river, Akko begins to silently chuckle to herself. Lotte joins in, lightly laughing into her hand. The infection spreads, as I join in. Sucy however, is as straight faced as ever, perhaps more so than usual. After a few seconds of us three laughing, Sucy declares

"I need to take a piss."

Lotte, Akko, and I stop laughing, as our newly found good mood has just been shattered. Jeez Sucy, try being a little more subtle next time. We hesitate, looking at Sucy slightly confused, and uncomfortable.

"I need to take a piss." She repeats, the tone colder, impatience lining her lips.

Not wanting to hear such a claim again, I nod, grabbing my wand. Using a simple water manipulation spell, I push the boat towards the bank, marooning it in place. Sucy looks at the two witches.

"Come with me." She commands.

"What?! No way?! Why should I-"

Akko is silenced as Sucy grabs the collar of her shirt, and yanks Akko out of the boat.

Not wanting the same fate, Lotte steps out as well.

"We'll be back in a minute." Sucy notifies me.

The three walk off, the foliage of the forest eventually making them out of sight.

I wonder what that was all about. I guess when you gotta go, you gotta go. No matter, once they return, we can continue our voyage.

Although it has so far been very confusing and unpredictable, this is the most fun I've had in a long time. And what makes it even better? The fact that I'm enjoying it with friends, friends who want to be friends with me. They chose me, hand selected me from every student in the whole school. What could truly go possibly wrong today?

* * *

After a long walk, Sucy turns towards is. She stares at Lotte, and them me, her face more emotionless than ever.

"Nothing beats a good laugh with friends, eh?" Sucy states, raising an eyebrow. "Except of course a good revenge session of a stupid, ugly, dumb, pathetic, panty sniffer…right?"

It's her eyes! They burn through my very soul! Oh if looks could kill…well, let's just say we're only alive because she's a squinter.

"Um…yeah…about that…" I begin, nervously scratching the back of my head.

"Can we talk?" Lotte requests.

"Sure. After all, it's just us ladies. No pubescent perverts in sight."

Sucy sits down on a nearby rock. After getting comfortable, she pulls off one of her sadistic smiles that still chills me to the bone.

"So, what do you want to talk about?"

Her eyes and smile! I feel weak, almost lifeless. It's as if she's sucking the soul right out of me! No, I can't be intimidated! We need to tell her!

I gulp, and give out a weak, uneasy laugh, before saying

"So, here's the thing…we talked earlier, and…we want to call it off."

Sucy furrows her brow.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously." Lotte answers.

Sucy stands up, walking towards me, putting her face mere inches from mine. Her eyes! Oh, the intimidation tactics!

"So let me get this straight…" she begins "…First, I get all aroused thinking up this plan and all, then I bite my lip as I let some rapist come within ten feet of my vagina-"

"Come on, Sucy!" I interrupt.

She ignores me.

"Praying for this satisfying conclusion to come before he does…and you're telling me we're not going to do what we came out here for?"

"I just…I just had no idea that he was going to turn out nice-"

"Check it out Akko, he's not nice! He's just some short, sad, rapist Roman, with a huge fucking nose, and no friends!"

"Well, maybe I want to be his friend!" I snap back.

She backs up.

"Well then, I'm left with two choices. You're either…" She holds out a finger. "One: Hard as hell, and yanking my chain, or…" She holds out another. "Two: You're the limpest dick I've ever met in my life."

"We both want to call it off!" I point out.

"Well, you're both vaginas!"

I put an arm around Lotte, turning our backs to Sucy, and walking us both back to the boat.

"Just remember, the plan's off!" I yell.

"Yeah, whatever…" Sucy mutters, following my lead.

* * *

After some time, the three emerge from the woods. Akko looks thoroughly pissed, while Lotte looks as if she's about to cry. Sucy is wearing her normal nonchalant face. However, it looks almost too emotionless, as if she's hiding something.

As my three friends sit down in their regular spots, I can't help but to ask what's on my mind.

"Is everything alright?"

Akko decides to answer with a nervous chuckle, and a

"Oh…o-of course! Why wouldn't we be? Hehehe…after all, we are the best…the best of friends…"

Okay, something is definitely going on. However, they clearly don't want to talk about it. Whatever, it's probably just some minor friendship problem. Nothing solves that like a good time.

"Okay then, let's get back to it." I say, before pushing us off the bank, and back into the rushing river.

* * *

Minutes pass as our boat flows gently down the stream, however this life is anything but a dream. No one has uttered a word. Lotte's silence is expected, Sucy's silence is understandable, but Akko? Okay, something definitely happened in those woods. The minute I ask, they will simply deny it. If I lighten the mood, perhaps this will be forgotten, and we can get back to the happy times.

"Hey, let's play a game." I suggest.

"What kind?" Lotte.

Good question. I never really had one in mind. I kind of hoped they would suggest one. What game should we play? Obviously something that can be played with ease in the confined space of a boat, a flexible game. Something that could make us laugh, but would also bring us closer together. I might have an idea.

"How about a game of truth or dare?" I suggest.

Hearing this at least sends some emotion through my three friends. Akko's eyes widen, as Lotte's mouth hangs agape. Sucy, however, is showing opposing emotions, smiling for the first time since this boat ride, revealing her sharp teeth. Honestly, how did she get so, for lack of a better word, interesting? Was she born that way, or is she just trying to be edgy?

"Oh yeah, that sounds like a fun game to me." Sucy says.

Yeah, I kind of figured she would be into this kind of thing. Now, what do the others have to say?

Lotte nervously smiles, saying

"Uh…are you sure? Why, there's hardly any room in the boat for such a game."

"Yeah, no room. We can't play." Akko nods, agreeing with Lotte.

Was the suggestion that bad?

"Don't be a bunch of Debbie Downer's." Sucy commands. "I say we vote on it."

"All in favor of truth or dare, raise your hand." I say, raising my own.

Sucy raises hers, while Akko and Lotte veto. Sucy makes eye contact with Lotte. It's the kind of stare that can only be described as pure death. The kind The Grim Reaper might give to someone whose time just ran out. The look you might give when you come face to face with your father's killer. Pure death, pure menace, pure Sucy.

After a few seconds of this maddening staring contest, Lotte begins to nervously twitch. Eventually, Lotte halve heartily raises her trembling hand. The look on her face, it's as if the jury just gave her the death sentence. Damn, Sucy really wants to play, huh?

"So, now that we voted-" Sucy begins, only to be interrupted by Akko.

"No! We can't! Ted, she's-"

"Let's play!" Sucy shouts with an amount of energy and passion that I didn't know she had.

So, is this her favorite game, or something?

"You can go first." Sucy declares, looking at me.

"Okay…"

I think about who I want to choose. Hmm, how about I avenge Lotte for that little look that Sucy gave?

"Okay Sucy, truth or dare?"

"Truth." She says outright.

Truth? I thought you were better than that.

"What type of person do you hate the most?"

She smirks, saying

"A womanizer, the type of people that only see us women as walking cum rags."

That's someone that I would never want to be seen as. Good thing I'm not.

"Okay Sucy, your turn."

Her smile grows bigger.

"I dare you to strip naked, and jump in the river." She says almost instantaneously.

What kind of dare is that?! Wait, a dare?! Why, I haven't even chosen!

"Sucy, don't!" Akko protests.

"Please no!" Lotte agrees

"Shut it, you two!" Sucy snaps. "I did my dare, now he does his. Those are the rules, Akko."

"Just calm down, Sucy! The game's over!" Akko declares.

"The game will be over in a minute…" Sucy turns her gaze onto me. "…Just as soon as jack off takes his clothes off, and jumps in the water." Her voice is as calm as ever.

What's going on?! Jack off?! Why is Sucy so adamant about her request?! Take my clothes off? Why, I never!

I knew Sucy was a bit of a creep, but nothing like this! Is she some kind of pervert, trying to take advantage of me being the only boy at this school?! I have to find a way to recover from this obvious landslide that we've found ourselves in.

"Calm down Sucy, alright? I didn't even pick dare. I pick truth."

This breaks her into a sadistic laugh.

"The truth? You want the truth?! Okay, I'll give you the truth. The truth is, fuck face, is that we didn't invite you out here because we wanted to be your friends-"

"Sucy, don't do this." Lotte pleads.

Sucy ignores her.

"We invited you out here because you came to this school to molest, mutilate, and murder-"

"Sucy, stop!" Akko demands, her tone showing anything but friendship.

"So we came up with a plan to mess you up…"

I turn to Lotte.

"Is this true, Lotte?"

She quivers at the sound of my voice. Rather than looking at me personally, her gaze is directed at the water. This is all the answer I need.

"What have you been planning?" I ask nervously.

Akko answers. The look of regret is smeared all over her face.

"We were planning on stripping you, and throwing you in the river…then making you run back to school naked."

A few chuckles come from Sucy.

"Ta-da!" The Filipino declares.

"It's not funny." Lotte scowls her.

"Oh, it's super duper funny." Sucy contorts, her smile growing bigger.

So, this is it? This is what they planned? To make me expose myself in front of my classmates? All because they think I'm some rapist? We're…we're not friends? They tricked me? W-what could go p-possibly wrong…today? I'm such a fool, a dumb old fool. I feel my eyes grow wet, as a few fresh tears sprinkle down my face.

"Oh poor little piggy wiggy." I hear Sucy sardonically comment.

"Is it…is it even your birthday, Akko?" I ask.

She looks up at me with glistening eyes. They tremble at what's to come.

"N-no."

Sucy's smile grows bigger.

That's it! There's only so much I can take!

Full of rage and righteous justice, I aggressively jump out of my seat, facing all these liars and manipulators. I accusingly point a finger at the Shiny Chariot fan girl.

"You're a fucking, lying son of a bitch, Akko! Alright?! And I hope you fucking go to hell!"

"Don't make things worse!" Lotte pleads.

"Shut the fuck up, Lotte! You fucking, stupid chapped cunt!"

"Stick your cock up her ass! You fucking, worthless-"

"Shut the fuck up, Sucy! Faggot! Fucking squinty eyed, Spanish colony faggot! I hate you! You know that?! I really do! Cause, all you do is fucking prance around school, talking about your fucking pathetic potions! I'll tell you what! How about you shove your fucking potions up your crusty pussy?! Alright?! You make me sick, and I fucking hope you fucking die from a Bunsen Burner fire!"

Lotte and Akko are as white as ghosts, jaws dropped to the deck in sheer shock and terror. Good! Those two monsters deserve a bit of verbal abuse, perhaps physical. They didn't even have the courage to face me. They had to lay in the darkness, like cornered rats. And why?

They're scared of me. It's written all over their faces, gouged into their eyes. They lied to me. They claimed they wanted the honey of friendship, but all they did was poke the hive!

And Sucy? She's still bearing that disgusting, horrible, worthless smirk. Her cheeks are pink, not from rage, but from embarrassing arousal. She gives a few more sadistic chuckles.

"Hehe, I have to admit, I didn't know you had it in ya. If there's one thing I love more than my best gore, it's being verbally abused by someone beneath me. Oh, I can feel my 'crusty' pussy moisten with lust!"

She begins stroking her…nether regions, moaning out her dialogue.

"Heeey, what were you planning on doing to us anyway? You stinkin' pig! Just die! Why don't you jack off in a bottle of formaldehyde, and call it our firstborn-"

Sucy is silenced in one swift motion, as I pick up an oar, and crack her over the head with it.

"Wh-what kind of creature are you? You barbarian!"

She really is a barbarian. A vile, stinky, filthy, sub human, living only for the nearest thrills: sex, drugs, and rock and roll. A sociopathic, masochistic, psychopathic, narcissist. I can't believe I let myself be exposed to such a poisonous person!

Sucy slowly turns her gaze back towards me, smiling forever bigger. She just shrugged it off, as if it was nothing! The only sign of my attack being a purple bruise on her cheek.

"Why are you so angry?" She asks calmly. "After all, isn't this what you wanted? For me to take a hard one to the face?"

Barbarians! The lot of these three! It's high time that I live up to my Roman heritage. It's time to extinguish the barbarians! I grab my wand, upholstering the instrument of their Romanization. Akko and Lotte's eyes widen, as I point it at Sucy.

"It's time for Pax Romana!" I declare.

"Before you do that, may I have a few final words?" Sucy asks, a vaguely fake tone of politeness in her voice.

If she were any calmer, we would need the paramedics to pick her up off the floor.

I lower my wand, which is practically bursting with lethal lightning.

"You may."

She begins to tug at her face, pulling at her cheeks and neck. What is she doing?! A few more yanks, and her face…slips…off?

No, not her face, but a mask! And it's not a her, but a he! To be specific, a middle aged man, with short black hair, and oval shaped Asian eyes. What the hell?! Who is this guy?!

The man casually drops the Sucy mask, and reaches into his pocket, pulling out a pair of glasses. Once on his face, he looks at me with a smirk, and exclaims

"It's Filthy Frank, motherfucker!"

* * *

 **Author's Note: Whoa! What a twist! What a story! What a year! I want to say that I appreciate all of you, all of my followers, favoriters, commenters, and readers! Without your constant love and admiration fueling my grandiose narcissism, I wouldn't be motivated to continue writing this. I love you guys, girls, and attack helicopters so much! Next chapter will come in a week or two. But of course, this is not a real Little Wizard Academia chapter without a response to a man. A man who ended wars, and spread his message of love and tolerance to every corner of the Earth, a man named Nightcore Miku:**

" **It's me again, NightcoreMiku. I would really like to see a little spinoff for your one year anniversary. Bombing places are boring, ya know? You don't get to see them bleed. How about we go clubbing? :D"**

 **Well naturally I would go clubbing, but my dance shoes are pretty worn out nowadays. Would you happen to know any cobblers?**

 **Also a message to everyone: I revised chapter three, which I have always considered as my weakest chapter. It's a lot longer, with an added scene. It's** **definitely worth a re-read.**

 **Also, the writers are contemplating a second season:**

 **2017/03/season-2-of-little-witch-academia-in-question/**


	16. Samhain

**Author's Note: Whoa, wasn't that last chapter something special? It's time to get back to the main story, but first allow me to answer a question:**

" **Hey it might be late to ask this but can there be an option for Ted x Akko if it's to late for that then Ted x sucy but still just sending a idea."**

 **Yeah totally, your suggestions do matter. Oh, and did I sense a bit of hesitation in that question? I think I did. Please, none of you, never feel like you have to hesitate when leaving a comment. I'm not this guy: "Please write your criticism in the comments. But if you're a hater then don't write anything! It's my story, if you don't like, don't read!"**

 **I'm the kind of guy who doesn't mind what you leave. It could literally be the text equivalent of you screaming into a microphone, and I'll still like it. If you see something you don't like, tell me. This is a free speech zone.**

 **Also, isn't it crazy that when I post chapters about Samhain, Trigger posts LWA episodes about Samhain?**

* * *

The vat of brew in the middle of my room suddenly begins to bubble violently. Steam rises, as green foam overflows from the cauldron, creating a mess on my carpet.

This isn't supposed to happen.

Concerned, I reread the instructions from 'Forbidden Rites'.

The words are difficult to read thanks to my only sources of light being the moon pouring into my window, and candles.

I know it's traditional, but why can't we have a lamp in our dorms?

As I read through the passage, I recognize my mistake.

I misread sodium oxide for sodium oxalate.

Oh, I pity me.

I look at my clock realizing the time: 2:32 A.M.

Yup, six hours wasted.

Sighing to myself, I point my wand at the cauldron.

With a simple levitation spell, the vat floats towards my window. With a flick of the wrist, the whole failed fluid is thrown over the side.

Oh well, time to start this all over again, for the second time.

After what happened at the café, I was understandably a bit depressed. A destroyed friendship can do that. No Lotte equals no Samhain.

If she won't believe my own words, then perhaps she'll believe her own eyes.

Thanks to this book that Diana recommended to me, I now have highly detailed instructions on conjuring the dead.

Lotte makes it look so easy, but that's because she's summoning anyone who wants to talk. Conjuring one particular spirit from the vastness of the underworld is much more of a challenge.

If I can manage to summon her dad, even if for a short time, all will be well again.

Cooper's wish will be granted, Lotte will be happy again, and I can finally get back to my studies. I can't return my family to our former glories if I'm busy dealing with another, now can I?

I look back at the cauldron, and the numerous ingredients strewn and spilled about the table.

Well, this isn't going to fix itself.

Back to it.

* * *

Standing in front of Theodore's dorm door, millions of thoughts swirl around in my head. Today is Samhain, so it's only natural that he's as busy as can be. However, I haven't heard from him since yesterday, and I'm beginning to worry.

But why?

Theodore so far has proven to be a quite competent wizard, despite his limited experience pre-enrollment.

He was approved by the principal, becoming the first male student in Luna Nova's history, and yet I worry.

I'm sure that whatever he's dealing with, he can handle on his own. However, a friend's helping hand can never hurt.

I lightly tap the door with the back of my hand, signaling my arrival.

When I receive no response, I try again, this time a bit harder.

I hear a few heavy footsteps coming from the other side of the door.

After the clicking of a few locks, the door opens just a crack.

"Who is it?" An almost deadly exhausted voice asks.

"You're supposed to ask that before you open the door."

The door opens all the way.

Theodore is standing there.

Well, it's more of a slouch than a stand. The bags under his eyes have only grown more noticeable, becoming black and heavy. He looks at me with sunken in, bloodshot eyes.

While his appearance is poor at best, that hasn't stopped him from smiling at me. It's not one of those fake, plastered on smiles.

It's a genuine smile, happy to see me.

"Ah Diana, just the person I wanted to see! Please, come in, come in!"

It doesn't matter whether I want to, or not, as he puts an arm around me, pushing me inside.

I'd rather walk in myself, but I'm far too concerned to complain.

I scan over his room.

For lack of better words, it's a complete mess. A big black cauldron sits in the middle of his room, bubbling and letting off a green steam that burns the nostrils when directly inhaled. The table positioned in front of the window is in disarray as well. The contents that once called the table their home are now strewn around the floor haphazardly.

And what takes their place?

Empty and half empty bags of alchemical ingredients, some of which have spilled onto the table, creating a scene straight out of a drug lord's hideout. Multiple test tubes, some broken and some laying on their side also cover the table. On his bed are two books, one titled "The Brink of Salvation" and another titled "Forbidden Rites".

I stare at the whole scene frowning.

"A filthy room houses a filthy soul." I state, quoting Ms. Finnalin.

I turn to Theodore, expecting some kind of response. However, he doesn't notice as he's hastily scribbling something down, muttering

"Off by 0.04 grams from yesterday."

I walk up behind him.

"Ahem." I clear my throat.

Once again, no response. He's still writing, now muttering

"Damn it, I forgot to apply HOFBrINCL."

"Theodore."

"Grams to moles…"

"Theodore."

"Mole ratio…"

"Theodore!"

He spins around, greeting me with the same genuine smile from before.

His expression is one that you would give to a lifelong friend, whom you haven't seen in years.

"Ah Diana! I'm glad you're here. Can you help me distill the jellyfish juice?" He asks, pointing at the cauldron.

Just how tired is he?

It looks as though he's working himself to death.

I want to put a stop to this, to shake the tiredness right out of him, to return him to normalcy. However, I know that it's not that simple. This operation obviously means a great deal to him. He wouldn't be doing this to himself if it didn't.

The best thing to do now is to facilitate, to help, not hinder, to get him through this as quickly as possible.

I nod, walking over to the cauldron.

As I prepare the concoction needed for this task, he informs me about his day.

"After school today…or wait, I guess that was yesterday…yeah yesterday! After school yesterday, I took Bruno's daughter to a small, little café, and told her about what happened."

"And I suppose she didn't take it well?" I guess, now grinding two herbs together.

"No, she didn't. She yelled in my face, called me a liar, and ran off."

"What was her name? Bruno's daughter, I mean." I ask, while adding a new ingredient into the bowl.

"It was Lotte…" His voice trails off, as he thinks.

Lotte? That quiet, bookish girl yelled at Theodore?

Although I couldn't care less about her two friends, she's different. She actually receives respectable grades, and stays out of trouble when she can help it.

A shame too, Lotte has potential, but in my opinion, she's hanging with the wrong crowd.

"Never mind that!" Theodore snaps back with new found enthusiasm. "I had an epiphany after that café incident. Telling her the truth didn't work, not telling her the truth didn't work, so I have only one option: have her see him for herself."

"Makes sense to me." I mutter, now grinding this new ingredient into the mush.

"And so I've been here!" He declares. "Working all night, making this necromantic potion. It's been difficult, and I've gone through three straight batches! I thought this one was bad too, but after staring at it for two straight hours…" He gives out an embarrassed chuckle. "…I realized, I was wrong!"

"Two hours? All night? When did you sleep?" I ask, pouring the thick concoction into the cauldron.

"I didn't sleep. I haven't slept since yesterday. Samhain is tonight, I can sleep all I want after that!" He proclaims with a rather upbeat attitude.

He stumbles over next to me, as we both stare into the cauldron.

The once green stagnant fluid is now giving off many small bubbles, popping as quickly as they appear.

"It will continue to bubble for some time." I inform him. "After that, you may continue."

He turns towards me, smiling.

"Diana, thank you. I'd hug you, but I don't think I'd let go."

I look back, making eye contact with him.

His eyes are practically begging for sleep. It pains me to see him in such a state.

"Theodore, I'm worried about you."

He drops his smile, attempting to wave away my concerns with one hand.

"Please don't worry, Diana. I appreciate it, but after tonight, all will be well again. This is just a complication."

A silence follows.

A silence that is only countered by the musical tune of the bubbling brew. A silence that is eventually broken by Theodore.

"I'm going to wait for this to stop boiling. You can leave."

"Are you sure?" I question him. "If you need anything-"

"You've already done so much." He cracks an embarrassed smile. "I've been stuck on that step for hours."

"Well, if you insist."

Once I exit his room, he begins to shut the door.

"And Theodore…" I begin.

He stops closing the door, looking up at me, awaiting my words.

"Don't forget to bring a sacrificial item for Alchemy Class. We do have a lab, remember?"

He cracks another smile.

"Yes, thank you Diana."

He closes the door, leaving me alone in the hallway.

What shall I do now?

Hmmm…

I wonder what Hannah and Barbara are up to.

* * *

I let out a heavy yawn, as I monitor the cauldron.

Nine minutes, and eighteen seconds of constant bubbling.

I thought this would be a quick step, perhaps a minute at best. No matter, I've already spent so much time on this already, that a few extra minutes are nothing.

I avert my eyes from the brew, and towards the clock.

It's already 5:43 PM.

The sun will set in a few hours, and the night will begin. Most will be trick or treating, some will be revering the dead, while I will be reversing it, at least just for tonight.

Once this mixture stops bubbling, I'll-

Well, speak of the devil. It's done. The once green bubbling brew is now stagnant, bearing a reddish color.

Okay, good, now what's next? Picking up "Forbidden Rites", I read on.

'Now that the base brew is complete, you must identify which spirit you wish to contact. To do this, add DNA of the spirit's dead body into the brew, whether it be a fingernail, teeth, or perhaps a lock of their hair. Add this to the broth to specify which departed soul you wish to contact.'

Wait, the DNA of the departed soul?

That would be a problem to get, a very big problem.

Naturally, hair would be the easiest to find, him being a dog, and all.

But I can't check the clothes I wore that day, I burned them. And I scrubbed and washed everything else to the point of complete cleanliness. There is not a speck, nor stand of Bruno's hair in this room.

However, it doesn't take a genius to figure out where there is. Probably my only option, a place that I hoped to never go back to: The Big Caves! The place where I fought Mendacius, and the place where Bruno and John Diehl died. I'll never forget how Bruno jumped in and saved my life, at the cost of his own.

I bet Bruno's hair is strewn all over the place…along with blood and flesh.

What happened there was so recent, and so horrible. Three people walk into The Big Caves, and only one comes out alive. There is nothing there but bad memories, but if there's a chance that Bruno's hair is there, I must take that opportunity.

I grab my broom, and a plastic bag for the hair, walking out of my dorm for the first time today.

The first thing I notice is a poster set up on the wall facing me.

It reads in red font

'Luna Nova's Samhain Festival'

The poster depicts artwork of a circle of candles around a bubbling cauldron.

Interesting, but I have no time for such things.

As I walk down the hall, I can't help but feel nervous. But why?

There's nothing there that can hurt me, at least physically.

But emotionally? Oh yes, that is in abundance. But, I must not think about it. It can't hurt me if I think about it. Remember Theodore, don't think about it.

* * *

I land gently on the forest floor, and unmount my broom.

A mere few feet away stands The Big Caves, and of course, the graves of John Diehl and Bruno. While both graves are unmarked, they are identifiable by the mounds of dirt protruding from the earth.

It's hard to imagine that only a few days ago, this cave was inhabited by a Roman god, along with his human turned dog. Too much has happened in these few days, too much for a lifetime.

I walk up to the graves.

To an onlooker from afar, all they would see is a boy standing and staring at two dirt mounds. However, what can't be seen is the emotional turmoil that I'm attempting to repress.

Bruno and John Diehl, they both sacrificed themselves…for me.

Who was I to them?

Just some teenage, an expendable young man. And yet, they threw away their lives, their future, all that they worked for, all for me. All of their memories, their experiences gone, gone but not forgotten.

They live on in our hearts and minds.

Their bodies may decay and eventually be gone, but their actions and accomplishments live on. Bruno, John, your actions live on, because I live on, because of your actions.

Now, I need to make sure that your actions are not in vain, and your final wish goes answered.

Bruno, you wished to see Lotte again, whether that be for an hour, or ten seconds.

I will do everything I can to make that happen!

I forcefully turn away from their graves, and enter The Big Caves.

It's just as I remember.

Cold and dark, with water dripping from the ceiling. The outside wind whistles through the countless caverns in such a way that it resembles a moan. Every shadow and every flicker of outside light resembles some demon about to pounce, and drag you away to an unimaginable hell.

The perfect shrine for the god of deception and lies.

However, there is something new in the air, a faint smell.

Only by sniffing the air multiple times am I able to identify the smell: Copper…blood.

Of course, what happened here was only a few days ago, so it's only natural that a strong scent such as blood would remain in the air for some time.

If there would be any of Bruno's hair, it would be where the fight took place, in Mendacius's statue room.

Well, as they say, I only need to follow the blood.

I follow the smell like a dog, sniffing at the air every so often, as I make my way through the stone passageways. After a few twists and turns, I'm led to a hallway, and at the end of the hallway is a room.

The smell of blood is strong here, and soon I find out why.

Multiple puddles of blood are scattered across the stone room. Upon closer examination, the liquid is thick from coagulation. In one of the puddles lays the wooden wand that Mendacius used in our fight.

This place, it's nothing more than a battle ground, stained forever with crimson ink. A place of death and horrible memories, a place scarred by its past, even if that past was only days ago.

I drift my gaze towards the statue, the marble bust of Mendacius.

While at this moment the statue poses no threat, its eyes still burn through me.

The glazed over, blank stare of classic Romanesque statues is strongly prevalent here. His chiseled jaw and profound abdominals radiate his power.

According to Mendacius, how strong and influential a god is depends on the number of followers they have. Coming from the god of deception and lies, its authenticity remains in strong question.

But, for the purpose of this thought experiment, let's just say he was telling the truth.

So, how many people believed in his existence?

There was John Diehl, Bruno, and I. Mendacius took possession of John's body, so he's no longer in the picture, and then he killed Bruno, which I believe was Mendacius's downfall.

There was no one left to believe in him, but me. And as Mendacius stated, he was not used to being in an old body, such as John Diehl's, giving me another advantage. The odds were truly with me that day.

And if they were not?

My whole body quivers as I think about it.

Gods can't die, right?

No, of course they can't. No matter how hard you try, no matter how many books you burn, or how many followers you kill, the god will still be there. And Mendacius is no exception. He's still out there somewhere. Whether he's in possession of someone else's body, a Will-o'-the-wisp, or is some force unfathomable remains in question.

In other words, god's not dead, he's surely alive!

I shuffle around a bit more, finding many clumps of brown hair lying next to a puddle of blood.

This is where Bruno died.

Before I allow myself the opportunity to think about it, I quickly grab a handful, placing it in my bag, and the bag in my satchel.

As I walk out, I stop myself halfway through the doorway.

I turn around, taking everything in. I can't help but let out a sigh. Not a heavy, sorrowful sigh, but a sigh of relief.

It was here that I witnessed death, it was here that I came close to death, and it was here that I delivered death. Strange, I feel as though coming back here has healed me in some way, in my heart and mind. I feel clear and calm.

But how?! In a place of death, I feel at peace?! That's crazy!

Or, well…maybe not.

Death in an ugly and horrible part of life, but it comes no matter what, it simply cannot be avoided. When it comes, it comes, and it will always come. Nothing can stop it. So, why fight?

Fight so that you may continue living, and live so that you may continue fighting. Life is unpredictable, and can be cut short at any moment. I bet Bruno and John didn't think that they were going to die that day.

When death eventually comes knocking at your door, it's best to treat it as a burglar. You came into this world kicking and screaming, so it's only fitting that you leave in the same manner.

If I can face death once, than I can surely do so again.

However, there is something more painful than death: the pain of never saying goodbye to your loved ones, and that opportunity was robbed from Bruno.

I intend to return it to him in full, tonight

I walk out of the caves.

The moon has already begun to rise, hugging me in its milky white light. The moon reminds me, Samhain is tonight.

I can feel it.

There's magic in the river, there's magic in the treetops, and there's magic in the sky. There's magic everywhere.

But tonight, it's even stronger than usual.

I begin to walk down the dirt path, thinking.

Okay, okay, now I can continue on with my incantation. I believe I only have a few more steps to go, and then…Lotte.

Lotte, where are you? What are you thinking? Lotte…

* * *

A few tears roll down my face, which is laying my folded arms.

Pain is what I feel.

Not physical pain, but emotional pain. A deep pain, as if my heart turned inside out, and then imploded on itself.

Theodore…how could he do this?!

I was his friend, and he did this?

He lied to me about such a serious issue. Does he not trust me?! He lied straight to my face, he looked at me dead in the eyes and lied, as if it was nothing!

After what Theodore said, I just didn't know what to do with myself.

So I ran here, to my dorm room to calm down.

I hear a flutter of paper as Sucy turns the pages of a book. She's also in the room, lying in her bed, reading.

Theodore has wronged us both. He came into our lives and enacted great stress onto us. Sucy hides it more, as well as having a lesser blow, but I'm not as emotionless as she is.

I hear our door fling open, smacking against the wall. Without turning my head, I already know who it is.

"There you two are!" Akko happily shouts. "I've been looking for you! So, do you two want to go to The Samhain Festival tonight? It looks really fun, and-"

"Leave us alone, Akko. We're having a bad day." Sucy growls, cutting her off.

"Whaaat?! Why?!" Akko asks, full of worry. "Was it because I ate your lunch? I'm so sorry, Sucy! I was just so hungry!"

Sucy ignores her, as she continues to read her book.

With my head still in my arms, the only way I can tell is by the turning of the pages.

"Sucy, please! Tell me what's wrong!"

I hear the shifting of weight coming from Sucy's bed, and rapid shaking.

Akko's probably shaking Sucy, desperate for the answer.

"You're my friend! Please tell me!" Akko demands.

"You're suffocating..." I hear from Sucy.

"Please! Please! Please! Just tell me what's wrong!"

"Theodore." I say.

The shaking stops.

It was less of a statement, and more of a whisper. T

he kind you would give when cussing in class, or telling an obvious lie. An unholy statement that injects your very soul with toxins upon utterance.

You feel dirty, but no amount of soap can wash away the sin.

"Ah, so she speaks…" Sucy mutters.

"Whaaat?! What do you mean Theodore?!" Akko demands.

"U-umm…w-well, he…" I nervously start.

"He lied to Lotte, yelled at me, and ignored my apology. He's a stuck up, big nosed, rotten Roman. No wonder he's friends with Diana." Sucy finishes.

"You don't mean…" Akko begins fearfully.

"We're not is friends anymore." Sucy states bluntly.

I haven't decided that yet.

I can't just dump him, and say 'Thanks for the memories, but bye.' Can I?

Akko gives off a heavy sigh, a farewell to her lost friend. She plops herself onto the bunk bed.

"Well, that sucks. He was a pretty cool guy."

She thinks for a bit, silently chuckling to herself, then says

"Remember when you first met him, Lotte? Just looking at him made you run away in embarrassment! Haha!"

Yeah, he was nice back then.

But now? I'm not so sure what to believe.

"And Sucy…" Akko continues. "…remember on the first day of school when you got him to try your potion? Oh, his face was redder than a tomato!"

"He was the first guinea pig I ever had." Sucy comments.

I remember that day.

He took it like a champion, and even let us befriend him afterwards.

I smile at the memory.

Ah, friends…

"And you two must remember when we had a sleepover with him? Oh man, that was such a good time! Remember that story off you two had, Sucy? He never faltered, even under your scariest of stories. And in the end, he won. Do you remember that, Lotte? You and I were scared half to death!"

More reminiscent laughter from Akko.

"I gained respect for him that day." Sucy admits. "Especially after he found and returned my potions' satchel."

"Oh yeah!" Akko beams, remembering something. "How did that thing go with Ted, Lotte? Huh? Was it a date? Did you two kiss? I'm always rooting for some Theodotte. Pretty good ship name, huh? I made it up!"

I don't respond.

I can't respond.

I'm overwhelmed with mixed emotions, both of them vying for power.

One side sees him as a jerk. We've known him for three months, and he's hurt me, he's hurt me bad. He lied to me. He doesn't trust me. I haven't done anything untrustworthy, have I?

No, and yet he lies.

Of course, the same premise applies to him.

He's only known me for three months, and yet he took me out, treated me to tea, and discussed a private, and emotional matter face to face. Not a text, nor an email, but up close and personal.

That at least shows a level of courage and responsibility.

Normally, when someone would push me over the edge, I would shut them out, be as mute as possible, perhaps show a level of coldness similar to Sucy. But Theodore?

We've known each other for so little time, and yet he has this effect on me.

I'm still thinking about him.

He told me a story, how he battled a Roman god, and how my dad was a dog. But that can't be true, can it?

When he discussed the details, I looked for the signs of a liar. A smile here, a covering of the mouth there, maybe even an excessive amount of story detail. I recall no such actions. Did he try to end the conversation prematurely?

No, that was me.

That's when it hit me.

The truth struck me over the head with a baseball bat, shattering my past doubts, and leaving me to pick up the pieces.

He was telling the truth!

Much like steam in a shower, the overwhelming feeling of guilt blankets me, and leaves me feeling sticky and disgusting. An empty void is created, and nothing can escape the nothingness.

I feel awful, because I made Theodore feel awful. He was trying to reach out, to comfort me, and be comforted. And what did I do? I rejected him, and left him alone with his vast sea of emotions.

I was the life raft, and yet I let him drown.

"Lotte?"

I'm snapped back into reality by Akko's voice.

I know what I have to do. I can't leave him like this. He's a friend, not a foe. He deserves comfort, just as I deserve closure.

I sit up, making eye contact with Sucy.

She has her own tension with Theodore that must be worked out.

Perfectly understanding my gaze, we both exchange a nod, agreeing to my silent request. Sucy slings her satchel over her shoulder, as we stand up.

We both wordlessly walk out of the room, and make our way to Theodore's room.

As we walk down the hall, I hear Akko yell

"So, are we going to The Samhain Festival, or not?!"

* * *

I empty the bag of Bruno hair into the cauldron.

Instantly, the brew begins to bubble violently, as steam streams out the top.

The whole room becomes filled to the brim with this gas.

A choking, foul stench weighs heavy in the air. A smell like no other, that can only be described as a three year old gym sock soaked in the juices of a rotten egg, one of those one hundred year old eggs that are all the rage to eat. A disgusting stench that burns my eyes, and feels sticky to the skin.

In defense, I hide my face in my shirt, hoping to stave off the odor.

Just what is this? I know that after I put the DNA in the cauldron, it'll start to bubble, but this is crazy! It's as if my whole bedroom is a world war one trench that just fell victim to a mustard gas attack. For every bubble that's popped, it's as if a gunshot has been fired next to my head. This smell, this sound, I'm not sure if I can take much more of this!

The smell begins to seep through my shirt, leaving me without a safe space.

As the foul air mixes into my breath, my lungs begin to swelter.

It starts out light, but begins to worsen as the time ticks by. It's as if I have a transient heartburn that decided to migrate into my lungs.

I begin to violently cough, clutching at my scorched throat.

This air is nothing short of poison!

With each passing cough, my vision becomes blurred, as a pounding headache suddenly manifests itself. I decide to hold my breath. At first, besides the burning sensation sweltering in my nostrils, all goes well.

However, my basic need for the air of life becomes too great to ignore.

I unconsciously begin gasping for air, as my lungs burn for oxygen.

My knees shake viciously, as I collapse on the floor.

How could this grotesque gas weaken me so much?!

I let out another wet cough, phlegm scraps against the walls of my throat. Look at yourself, Theodore! You can handle a god, but not a bit of polluted air?!

Come on, you're a Roman! Don't let yourself die by some school crafted chemicals! I struggle against my exhausted muscles, attempting to push myself up. If I could just make it to the door…

Try as I might, no amount of fighting spirit can compensate for a lack of air, and I slump back down. I stare longingly through the chemical mist and at the door.

So close, but so far.

I…I can't-

My mind is abruptly forced to silence, as the door swings open.

The toxic air is immediately vacuumed out of the room, as if someone opened the door on an airborne plane.

My whole body is submerged by a wave of relief, as fresh, clean air circulates throughout my room, and not a moment too soon!

As the mist clears the room, I see my savior standing at the door.

It's Sucy!

After taking the blast full force, her hair's a mess, and her clothes are wrinkled beyond belief.

However, that doesn't stop her from smiling.

Strange, it's not her standard sadistic smile, but something new, something that I've never quite seen before.

He eyes lazily recreate the thousand yard stare. Her face bears a trembling grin, as her head is tilted upwards in pure ecstasy.

She exhales, a stream of the poisonous green chemical mist shoot out of her nostrils.

"Ahhh, something smells good…" She joyfully mutters to herself.

How is Sucy so tolerant to this torrential terror?

I'm not even sure if she's human anymore. She could just be the daughter of one of the elves that maintain the school.

"Oh Sucy, sometimes I just don't understand you." I hear from a familiar voice.

I spot someone new walking into the doorway.

My eyes go wide as the features begin to manifest themselves before me.

That orange hair, those freckles, those glasses, all three collectively scream one word directly into my eardrums: Lotte.

But, it can't be true. Lotte? Why is she here?

The last time I saw her, she wanted nothing to do with me. But here she is, standing only a few meters from me. Sucy is here as well, they both are.

I thought after what happened, they both wished ill will onto me.

Lotte spots me on the ground.

Her eyes go almost as wide as mine.

"Oh my, Theodore! Are you okay?!" she shrieks, rushing to my aid.

So, she does care.

Once she reaches me, she affectionately puts me onto her lap, a hand cupping the back of my head.

"I'm fine, Lotte. Just a bit exhausted." I admit, smiling to keep her worries at bay.

Sucy takes a knee by me. She looks through her satchel, and pulls out a green bottle of some kind.

"Here, drink this." She commands, shoving it into my hands.

I look it over and pull off the cap, smelling the contents.

I can't identify what this is.

"What is it?" I ask. "Some kind of potion that cures tiredness? Why Sucy, just imagine the money you could make with this! No, imagine how useful this will be! We'll never need sleep again-"

"It's an energy drink." She says in a monotonic manner.

"Oh."

A bit confused and a little embarrassed, I obey Sucy's request, and drink.

As a standard energy drink, I didn't get the same boost I would've gotten from an actual energy potion, but this is good enough.

A surge of energy runs through my body, charging my depleted muscles.

I blink a few times, waking up my tired eyes.

"Welcome back." I hear coming from Sucy.

I look up at the alchemist.

"Sucy, why? I thought you were done with me, after I refused to acknowledge your apology and all."

"Well, I still owe you for finding my potions' satchel."

I silently sigh to myself.

So, she only did it to pay off a debt? Not because she cares?

"Even though your ignorance of me stung, in the end we're still friends." She adds, smiling at me.

Once again, this is a smile that I've never seen before.

Her smile seemed to understand and believe in you in a way that only a mother could replicate.

It was not sadistic, nor full of ecstasy, but hope.

Without her smile wavering, she asks

"So, are we good?"

I smile back.

"We're good."

"Good."

Sucy stands up.

"I'll leave you two alone now. I'm sure Akko wouldn't mind a little Theodotte to wrap this up."

Theodotte?

And with that, she slings her satchel over her shoulder, and leaves.

Only Lotte and I remain.

We both look at each other.

Her flickering eyes glisten with suppressed tears.

A mixture of regret, shame, sorry, self pity, and relief is spread over her face. Under her shaky eyes are a matching set of black bags. So, she didn't sleep well last night either.

Despite this combination of negative emotions, I'm glad she's here, that she came on her own free will, and didn't have to be forced. I can safely assume that she feels the same why. But still, we can't continue on with this air of uncomfortableness still lingering.

I still feel bad about making her cry, even if the tears were shed in the face of truth.

"Lotte, I'm sorr-"

"No, I'm sorry!" She interrupts, her outburst catching me off guard. "I'm sorry that I didn't believe you, I'm sorry for yelling at you, and I'm so sorry that you had to go through such torture all for me! Fighting a Roman god?! I can't even begin to imagine how stressful that must have been for you, you almost died!"

Lotte reminding me about the situation with such emotions is making me become emotional as well. It's evident in my voice.

I swallow a lump in my throat, choosing my next words carefully.

"Yes Lotte, I almost died, but I didn't. I was saved, saved by your dad, Cooper Yanson. He saved my life, by giving up his own. He's a hero! A hero who even in an inch of death was worried about one thing, the well being of his daughter, of you, Lotte. I owe him a great debt, and it is a debt that I hope to pay off tonight. But, I need your help. Samhain has begun, the veil has thinned, but only for tonight. He's waiting for you Lotte, right now, as we speak. Why, he' probably in this room right now, watching us. He loves you Lotte, and wishes to speak with you, one last time. Will you accept his request?" I ask, already knowing the answer.

"Yes! Yes! Of course! I haven't spoken to him since I was a little girl. This is an opportunity that I cannot, and will not pass up!"

I knew it.

How could she refuse? Anyone would gladly accept. I personally would jump at the chance to talk to a dead family member.

However, if it were me, I would talk to one of my ancestors of old, seeking advice and wisdom that was lost with time.

Maybe someday, but not today. Today is Lotte's day, a day for her to reconnect with her lost loved one.

Okay, Lotte."

I point at the cauldron, explaining how this is going to work.

"So, I already completed the potion. All you have to do is follow the book's instructions."

I hand her the book 'Forbidden Rites'.

She eyes the book, and then the brew.

Her eyes flicker with slight sadness.

"You know, I feel bad. You spent all this time crafting this potion, and yet I'm going to be reaping all the rewards."

"Please don't, I wanted to do this."

Understanding, Lotte begins skimming the book.

"So, what am I supposed to do first?" She asks.

I read along as well.

"Let's see…first I have to cast a circle around you, and anoint it with the potion. Then you have to cast the spell, I'll give you the word when we're ready."

With a nod, Lotte stands in the corner of my room, giving me space to perform my magic. Once she gets in a comfortable position, I get to work.

I grab four candles, a green one representing the North, a yellow one representing the East, a red one representing the South, and a blue colored candle representing the West. I place each candle in its appropriate direction, the North Candle facing the North, the South candle facing the South, and so on.

I light the North candle, saying

"Guardians of the North, Element of Earth. I call upon thee to be present during this ritual. Please join us now, and bless this circle."

I light the East candle, saying

"Guardians of the East, Element of Air. I call upon thee to be present during this ritual. Please join us now, and bless this circle."

I light the South candle, saying

"Guardians of the South, Element of Fire. I call upon thee to be present during this ritual. Please join us now, and bless this circle."

And finally, I light the West candle, saying

"Guardians of the West, Element of Water. I call upon thee to be present during this ritual. Please join us now, and bless this circle."

I then stand back, taking the whole imaginary circle in. I then chant

"Gods and Goddesses, Guardian Angels, and Spiritual Guides please be present with us during this ritual. Bless this circle and keep us protected. No unwanted entities are welcome here. Only pure, divine beings are invited into this space. The circle is cast. So mote it be."

A pure white circle then materializes around the candles.

The circle in now complete.

Now that the circle has been casted, it's time to manipulate it for Necromantic purposes.

I dip a cup into the cauldron, taking in the liquid.

A bit splashes on my arm.

It emanates a certain heat that is felt deep down to the bone. It also numbs the afflicted area on the spot.

Ignoring it, I wave at Lotte, directing her into the newly formed circle.

Once she enters, I pour the brew out, walking around the circle, covering every speck of the white light in a green goo.

I hope my carpet is washable.

I read through the book, searching for the final step.

"Okay Lotte, the rest is up to you. All you have to do is say the spell. It's…"

My voice trails off, as what I read makes no sense. How would one pronounce this?

I give it my best go.

"Surge M-Morty…Surgity?"

This isn't some English word unknown to me, is it?

"Surgite Mortui Surgite?" Lotte guesses.

I read over the book, then play back what she said in my mind.

Yup, she's spot on.

Impressed and a little embarrassed, I nod at her correct pronunciation.

Lotte nervously fidgets on the spot.

She shakes her head in protest, shaking her nerves away. Here it comes. Lotte inhales deeply from her nose, and chants with gusto

"Surgite Mortui Surgite!"

Instantly upon utterance, the circle completely consumes Lotte in a bright bubble. A few beads of sweat appear on my face, as the bubbles pulsates an intense heat, that makes the whole room feel like an oven.

I bury my face in my arm, as the light is too much to bear.

What's going on?! This is part of the ritual, right?!

I can't do anything now, it's up to her. Lotte, please stay safe!

* * *

As soon as I utter the spell, the room instantly transforms into a pure, heavenly light.

Everything, even Theodore, dissipates into the white. I look around, turning my head right to left, and then my whole body all the way around. It's just as I thought, there is no end to this holy color. The light stretches far out into the empty void. The only solid part of this world, being the floor, is also draped in whiteness.

Strange, even in the face of this unfamiliar world, I feel surprisingly at peace.

The immense stress and anxiousness that once plagued me has been completely eradicated. And what's in its place? An inner peace that emanates solace, and fills my body with a certain calmness that I haven't felt in some time. It's as if I took a shower after a long and tiring day. The worries are now down the drain, gone forever, and replaced by a fresh, clean face ready to start the day.

I hear something from behind, something echoing throughout the void…footsteps! I spin around, and my heart swells. I can hardly believe my eyes, as I choke out

"D-daddy!"

Seeing me, he smiles, and extends both arms outwards in a hug.

"Lotte! Lotte! My dear Lotte!"

I rush to him, tears streaming down my face. I embrace him tightly, burying my head in his chest, joyfully sobbing.

"Oh daddy! I missed you so much. I can't believe it! Is it really you?!"

He places a hand on my head, gently stroking my hair.

"Yes. Oh Lotte, how wonderful it is to finally speak to you again."

"D-daddy I-I love y-yo-"

The tears become too much, as I violently sob into his shirt, hardly able to form a proper sentence.

"Shhh." He whispers, as he continues to pet me. "Listen closely Lotte. I don't have much time, the veil is thickening."

I look up at him confused.

"D-daddy?" I ask nervously.

"I'm so proud of you Lotte. You've done well, very well ever since I was taken from you. You've gone through a lot of hardships, and will face many more challenges throughout your life. You are strong, so strong, and when I died all I wanted was to see you, to be with you, and protect you. But, now I realize that was a foolish thought. You have grown from a shy little girl, into a smart, kind woman. You don't need your daddy anymore."

"B-but no! I'm not who you say I am! I'm still weak and shy!" I blurt out.

When have I ever been strong?

He looks at me with a playful smile, asking

"What kind of weak women could take on a dragon, and shout at a battle hardened guy in public?"

Battle hardened guy?

"You mean Theodore?" I ask.

"Yes."

I can feel his skin grow cold, as the room's lush white light begins to slowly dim.

"W-what's happening, daddy?!" I ask, clinging to him tighter.

He places both hands on my head, one on each cheek.

He tilts my head up, so that we're making eye contact.

"Samhain is ending, the veil is thickening. I must go." He informs me.

I cling onto him even tighter than before, my nails practically digging into his none existing flesh. N-no, don't leave me…please!

"Will I ever see you again?" I whisper.

It pains me to ask this. I don't want him to go. And so soon!

"Yes, yes you will. I'll be with you every morning as a singing bird, and every night as a twinkling star. I'll always be with you, and when you need me, I'll be there, whispering from your shoulder."

The light grows dimmer, so dim that I can't see anything. Not a hand in front of my face, and not my dad. However, I feel him.

I feel his warmth, his eternal love.

His grip on me has not ceased, I can still feel his arms around me, as well as his heartbeat, so full of life even after death.

That's when it hit me, when I came to the full realization of this revelation.

Even in death, the love of a father, or any love for that matter, is still prevalent. Nothing can stop death, but nothing can stop love.

Love reaches out past the grave, and it is through love that we live on. We do not truly die, we live on through the hearts and minds of others.

In a way, we are all immortal.

I feel fresh tears trickle down my already damp face. However, these tears aren't formed by regret or loss, but gain. Gain in this new understanding of the natural world, and its inhabitants.

I accept death, I accept my father's death. I will miss him of course, but I at least take comfort in knowing that when my bell tolls, someone will be there to welcome me.

With a trembling smile, I utter

"I-love you daddy…goodbye…"

I feel a few light strokes against my hair. Each stroke becomes lighter and softer, as he slowly fades away.

"Goodbye Lotte, daddy loves."

* * *

The light finally begins to dim, as I remove my face from my sleeve.

My squint lessens as the white dissipates into the background, revealing the young witch standing there.

"Lotte?" I whisper, as to not startle her.

Poor girl, after seeing her dead dad, she's probably not in the best of moods.

I can only imagine how she feels.

Lotte looks up at me.

A heartbeat later, she suddenly rushes forward, enveloping me in a tight embrace.

This hug is unlike any other hug I have felt before.

This hug is one of those rare hugs that you might encounter two or three times in your life. The only other scenario that I could try to compare this experience to would be an angel wrapping you in a warm silk blanket. A smooth feeling, that reminds me of a warm fire in the dead of winter, the light at the end of the tunnel. A hug not seeking comfort, but a hug radiating joy. Joy in the plan's success, as well as our revived friendship.

I would normally be taken by complete surprise by her forward attitude.

However, after this crazy week, I wouldn't bat an eye if Constanze stood in front of the entire student body, and screamed that she's a Communistic Atheist who believes in Allah.

"So, I assume it went well?" I ask happily, returning her hug in full.

"Very."

We hold each other like this for some time.

Time seems to stand still, as the cool autumn air completely capitulates under the warmth of our embrace. The only sign of the passage of time being the lights and sounds of The Samhain Festival outside.

I wouldn't mind staying like this for an hour, maybe a year.

Unfortunately, as all good things must do, our embrace ends.

She yawns lightly into a hand, looking at the clock.

"Oh…it's nearly midnight." She declares, slightly surprised.

Time flies when you're spending it with a friend.

"Yes, it is." I agree. "Both of us could use a good night's sleep. Today has been a bit overwhelming, don't you agree?"

She nods, giggling a little.

"A bit overwhelming? That's an understatement."

"Isn't it tho-" I'm cut off, as I let out a yawn of my own.

More giggling comes from Lotte.

"You must really be sleepy, huh? I think it might be best if I let you rest. We have a lab tomorrow, remember?" She reminds me.

"Isn't tomorrow also the day we get taught by that foreign exchange teacher Mr. Brink?" I add.

"Oh yes! I had forgotten that."

With this exchange over, she turns around, walking out.

As she's about to leave, she looks at me with another heart melting smile, and declares

"Have a happy Halloween and a blessed Samhain!"

* * *

 **Author's Note: This was quite a long chapter, huh?**

 **Don't forget to leave a comment! I need your constant love and admiration.**

 **And of course, my response to Nightcore Miku:**

" **Hey, it's me, Nightcore Miki :D. Sorry to say, but I don't know any cobblers. And by clubbing, I mean getting some clubs and whack some baby seals. :D You interested?"**

 **Cha-yeah-yeah. But let's not do it this weekend, season seven of MLP is coming out.**


	17. The Brink of Insanity

I stand in my alchemy class, waiting for the bell to ring, and the class to begin.

Yesterday was quite the interesting day, maybe a little more than just interesting. It was a very, very, eventful day. Revisiting The Big Caves allowed me to really come to terms with what happened. Attempting and succeeding at a new form of magic was definitely exhilarating. I also was a bit let down that I didn't have a chance to talk with Bruno, but being able to get back together with not only Lotte, but Sucy, was definitely a victory.

I wonder what caused their sudden change of heart in the first place. A day ago, they hated my guts, by then they just suddenly appeared in my room, completely friendly. Whatever happened, I'm just glad it happened. What happened is now in the past, and I can now focus on the present, and dream about the future.

I take a look at the main three, Akko, Lotte, and Sucy. Akko and Sucy are arguing about something, while Lotte has her hands folded in attention, waiting for class to begin. I eye Diana and her group. Hannah and Barbara are gossiping about who knows what, while Diana is standing at attention, also waiting for class to start.

Today will definitely be an interesting day. We have a lab in this class, and in the next we're getting taught by a Mr. Brink from America. I wonder what that'll be like.

The bell rings, and the period begins. Everyone quiets down, as Ms. Finnalin addresses us.

"Good morning class, I trust you used the night of Samhain to your advantage…"

If only you knew, Ms. Finnalin.

"…As I informed you earlier, today we will begin a lab that will allow you to create Magicus Synthesis. Now, does anyone remember what that is?" She asks.

A few students raise their hands, including Diana. I'm not thought. I remember what it is, but being the center of attention has never been my forte.

Unsurprisingly, Ms. Finnalin chooses the blonde.

"Magicus Synthesis is a potion that will allow you to use magic even when you're out of range of The Sorcerer's Stone." Diana answers.

"Very good, Diana." The teacher responds, smiling.

Once her praise is over, Ms. Finnalin speaks to the class as a whole.

"Now, I hope that everyone in your group is here today, as this will only work when your hearts harmonize as one."

That's a problem.

I raise my hand, getting the teacher's attention.

"But Ms. Finnalin, I don't have a group. What should I do?"

She looks at me surprised, as if she forgot that I didn't have dorm mates. She puts a hand to her chin, thinking.

"Hmmm, well Magicus Synthesis only works when you do it with people you trust, not necessarily dorm mates…"

She thinks a little more.

"Get in a group of students that you have good relations with, as well as trust. I see no reason why that shouldn't work."

I nod to her, and scan the room. The only two groups that fit this description are Diana's and Akko's. However, the only one in Diana's group that I rust would be, well, Diana. I hardly know Hannah or Barbra. In contrast, I know and just about trust everyone in Akko's group. Okay, Akko's it is.

I walk over to her group, taking a spot by the table next to Lotte. The Finn smiles at my arrival, while Sucy nods in acknowledgement.

"Yeah, good choice!" Akko declares, giving me a thumbs up, accompanied by a wink.

Ms. Finnalin nods at my choice, before turning back to the class.

"Now, let us turn our textbooks to page 105 for the instructions."

The crisp noise of pages turning sound throughout the class, as each group obeys Ms. Finnalin's orders. I open the book at our table, turning to the page. It's titled 'The Construction and Creation of Magicus Synthesis'. Beneath the title are many steps, several sentences long. A bit intimidating.

I feel like yesterday, if anything, was a great introduction to Necromancy. The spell for yesterday was hard, but at least I had Diana to help me. And who do I have for assistance now? Akko, Lotte, and Sucy. I'm not sure how well Akko will do. I remember the time she told me that she tried to make a love potion, but all it did was turn the drinker into an eel. Who was that for, anyway? Lotte, I feel, would at least try and actually commit, but I'm not sure if her knowledge of alchemy can match up. And Sucy? Her skill isn't the issue, getting her involved is. Especially while those two are still arguing. It's a good thing we have Ms. Finnalin to guide us through.

"Now, the supplies we need are Cupid's Claw, Monday Moss, Saint John's Wort, and a pint of Goat Hair."

Who comes up with these names?

"All of these ingredients are on the shelves over there." She points to the wooden shelves hugging the wall. "I'll give you five minutes."

With that, a handful of students make their way to the shelves, gathering the ingredients in question. I eye the girls. Akko and Sucy are still arguing while Lotte stares at me with potential participation.

"Do you mind helping me get the supplies? It'll be a bit hard on my own."

She nods at me, smiling.

"Of course not."

Together, we both walk to the shelves housing the alchemical ingredients. I take a bottle in hand, reading the label: Brink Essence. Another weird name, but not one of the weird names we're looking for.

"Hey, I found two." Lotte declares.

Sure enough, she's holding two bottles, one labeled Cupid's Claw, the other labeled Monday Moss.

I nod to her, turning back to the shelves. A few glances later, and I'm holding a pint of Goat Hair, and Saint John's Wort. We both walk back to our group, placing our items on the table. Sure enough, those two are still arguing about something. After a few minutes of waiting for everyone else, Ms. Finnalin continues with her instructions.

"Now that you've acquired the necessary ingredients, please empty the pint of Goat Hair into the flask."

I take the cone shaped cup, setting it onto a stand over the burner, while Lotte pours the Goat Hair into it, Akko and Sucy still arguing. A few seconds pass, and Ms. Finnalin gives her next set of instructions.

"Add the remaining ingredients into the beaker."

A few seconds pass, and her request is granted. The once brown brew now bears a pinkish cream color. Akko and Sucy are still arguing. Very annoying.

"Now, light the burner and add the item of importance you've brought. I'll give you some time to do this. I'll grade papers in the meantime."

Ms. Finnalin then sits back down at her desk, leaving the rest up to us. I go to crank on the burner, only to be halted as I hear a bit of their argument.

"Nuh uh! No way! I am!" Akko protests.

"I doubt it…" Sucy mutters

Slightly annoyed, I sigh to myself.

"Just what are you two arguing about?" I ask.

Akko looks at me with a slightly angered but determined face.

"We're arguing about which one of us is the cutest! I clearly am! I mean, Sucy's practically dripping with slim!" Akko states, fiercely pointing at the Filipino.

"Some guys like that." Sucy retorts.

"They've been arguing about this all morning." Lotte adds.

"I'm way cuter than her!" Akko continues. "I'm like a Teddy Bear, all warm and soft…" She emphasizes this point by hugging herself, happily humming a tune through her smile.

"You agree with me, right Ted?"

I falter, uncomfortably scratching my head.

"Well, you…um…"

Seeing that I won't give in easily, Akko goes to plan B, giving me the puppy dog eyes accompanied by a jutting, trembling lip.

I turn my gaze to Sucy, seeking escape from this question. She stares back blankly.

"Well?" She questions.

I forcefully look away, back down at the burner, turning it on. In an instance, the fire puffs out, already beginning to boil the brew.

"So, uh, what item did you bring, Sucy?" I ask, changing the subject.

Sucy lets out a wicked chuckle similar to a TV villain, before saying

"Finally, the long desired doors will open. Poison is remedy, and remedy is poison."

She pulls out a mushroom that looks like no other. It's bigger than most, about a meter long. The head of the mushroom itself is a shade of light red with small crystal-like objects sprinkled around. An abnormal mushroom for an abnormal girl.

"The one and only, Fungus Magicus!" She declares, sniffing it affectionately, and letting out a happy sigh that seems to melt her entire being.

Akko suddenly presses herself against the mushroom maniac, ruining Sucy's happy moment.

"No, stop! That's not cute at all." Akko complains, waving her hand around in protest.

I don't know, maybe a little.

"Girls, no fighting today." Lotte intervenes. "Remember, Magicus Synthesis only works when we're all on the same page."

"But Sucy was going to put a poisonous mushroom into our kettle!" Akko explains.

"Then what exactly did you bring, Akko?" Sucy asks, her tone implying that she's anything but interested.

"Ta-da!" Akko declares, proudly holding her item.

It's not really an item per se, but a living creature. It's small, with green skin, besides its face, which is a light yellow color. It also has big pointy ears, and what looks like a giant three leaf clover growing out of its head.

"It's the fairy of good luck, Brownie! That's what our spell needs!" Akko explains.

"So tell us, where did you get that thing?" Sucy asks.

"I happened to find it in the forest." Akko claims.

Sucy reaches out, pinching its cheek with curiosity.

"Is it really a Brownie? It might be a goblin."

Hurt by her friend's doubt, Akko quickly pulls the thing out of Sucy's grasp, its cheek snapping back like a rubber band.

"Ah, and your poisonous mushroom is okay?!" Akko shouts.

Poor thing, having to be in the middle of this.

"You know, poison can also function as remedy." Sucy informs her, shoving her mushroom against the possible goblin.

"Huh?! Don't you remember when we couldn't stop sweating for hours after taking your mushrooms?!" Akko recalls, sweat beads practically forming on her forehead from recollection.

"Hey, stop fighting." Lotte urges the two.

"It's poison!" Akko argues.

"It's remedy." Sucy persists.

"Poison!"

I turn away from their feud, pretending not to notice, as I gaze around the class. Once those two are at each other's throats, it's hard to pull them back. Besides, they'll make up in the next few minutes anyway, so why bother?

I hear Akko cry out in pain, followed by a splash.

Thinking that Sucy decked Akko, I turn back around. No such thing has happened. However, both of Akko's and Sucy's hands are empty. What happened to their items?

"Well, it's in the kettle." Sucy mutters, sounding rather defeated.

The kettle itself begins to violently bubble out a pink liquid, as it quickly overflows, splashing onto the table. The whole class begins to take notice, some even leaving their table to get a better look.

"Hey, are you saying it's my fault?!" Akko demands, not noticing.

"Usually it is." Sucy replies, also not noticing.

"Uh, something's not right here." Lotte nervously informs them.

No kidding, something's definitely wrong. I've got a bad feeling about this.

Ms. Finnalin appears behind Akko, arms folded in annoyance.

"You four, what are you doing?!"

The brew suddenly and violently erupts into a volcano of purple steam, the sheer force blowing off the surrounding students' hats.

The room fills full with the mist, as everyone collectively coughs harshly. I, as well, feel the chemical cloud burning my throat, as my eyes sting, and eventually water. I let out a cough, rubbing my sore throat. What is this?! How could a school lab go so wrong?!

As quickly as it comes, the mist begins to part, revealing a giant mushroom monster. Its eyes glow green, as its teeth are jagged sharp, perfect for tearing flesh.

It lets out a threatening roar, as everyone screams in panic. I back up cautiously, as the thing begins to waddle towards the other students. Come on, don't be scared! You fought a Roman god! A little mushroom monster is nothing!

Seeing my chance, I pull out my wand, preparing a destruction spell. A small ball of blue lightning begins to form at the tip of my wand, as I raise it up at the thing.

"Whoa! We're going to hit the ceiling!" I hear Akko cry from above.

Looking up, I see not only Akko, but Sucy, and Lotte stuck on top of that thing! How in the seven hills did they get up there?! Upon closer inspection, their whole bodies are stuffed inside of the mushroom's head, as their own heads poke out. I cancel my spell. I can't risk hurting them.

The underside of the mushroom's head breaks open, releasing purple spores into the air. It completely blankets the entire room, causing everyone to engage in another coughing fit. I feel my body give out, as I slump to the floor. I uncontrollably begin laughing. I can't stop, only constant laughter. Between the mist and my own laughs, I spot the other students. They're either passed out, or joining me in my guffaw. I chuckle to myself for what seems like forever, until I eventually black out.

"Ein Ein Sof!"

"Ein Sof Ohr!"

"Luna Lana!"

A massive explosion, and a blinding light comes and leaves in an instance. Slowly, but surely the draining sleepiness fades from my body. I blink a few times, as I sit up against one of the tables. Tiredly, I yawn into my hand, as I fully become aware of my surroundings.

The other students are also beginning to wake up. The mushroom monster is gone, the main three are strangely enough lying on top of one another on our work table, all the while Diana is being praised by Ms. Finnalin.

"Excellent work, Diana. No wonder everyone says that you're the best student in the school's entire history."

What did she do to earn such words? Taking out the monster no less, but how? Did she destroy it like I was going to do, or perhaps something else?

"Great job, Diana!" Hannah declares, taking her position at Diana's side.

"You're the pride of Luna Nova!" Barbra adds, joining her friends.

A flood of compliments, cheers, and clapping emerge from the students. A combination of yips, yays, huzzahs, and hurrahs fill the classroom, directed at their savior.

Despite all this celebrating, I can't help but feel slight contempt. Can't I ever get any credit around here? I'm the one who fought and bested a Roman god, I'm the one who brought someone back to life. I did so much in so little time, and yet I get nothing. Where's my triumph? The crowd is easy to sway, but it's impossible to convince them about my adventures. It's a selfish though, I know that. But, it's still how I feel.

"Oh please stop, that was nothing." Diana humbly requests.

"Oh no, Luna Lana is the most difficult synthesizing spell." Ms. Finnalin explains. "No other student has ever been able to use it. Your soul must be in complete harmony in order to cast it. Someone who doesn't have self control-"

"Can never use it." Diana states, all the while analyzing the main three, now arguing and bickering amongst themselves.

In annoyance, Diana lightly sighs to herself.

Ms. Finnalin drops her smile, directing her new found anger onto Akko, Lotte, and Sucy.

"As for you three, you clearly lack in self control! A witch who cannot keep her emotions in check will never be able to advance far. Come with me to the principal's office!"

"I-uh-what?!" Akko chokes out, falling from the table in shock.

The remaining two stand up, while Lotte pulls Akko of the ground. Once on her feet, Akko immediately protests the teacher's command.

"But, Ms. Finnalin-"

"No buts! Now!"

Akko shrinks back in fear, and honestly, I don't blame her. The look on Ms. Finnalin's face, I have never seen her like this. She's the type of teacher to get easily annoyed at the underachieving students, but real anger? That's unheard of.

Seeing that Akko is out of options, she shamefully walks to the door where Ms. Finnalin is. Lotte follows, a tint of red embarrassment lining her face, while Sucy utilizes her standard stride. The three witches approach the teacher like lambs to the slaughter.

I can see how Akko and Sucy deserve punishment, but why Lotte? She was only trying to calm the storm. I guess in this school when someone gets in trouble, the whole group pays for it. That would explain why Lotte is always in detention with the other two. I'm glad I'm in a group of my own, not being dragged down by other's mistakes.

As the three walk out the door, the teacher looks back at her class.

"The bell will ring in a few minutes, so clean up your workstations while I'm gone. Oh, and Theodore?"

My whole body freezes, as she acknowledges me.

"I trust that you weren't apart of this incident."

I wasn't. My back was turned, and I really didn't add any friction. All I did was try to complete the lab. Perhaps I could've prevented it, stepped in and be the peacekeeper. No, that's Lotte's job. There's no reason for me to damage my record, and join those three in punishment.

"No Ms. Finnalin, I was not."

She nods at my claim, pushing the three into the hallway, and shutting the door.

As per Ms. Finnalin's request, everyone shakes off what just transpired, and begins to clean up their work station.

I examine Akko's table. It's a complete mess after what happened. The once bubbling brew is now completely spilled out on the floor, as pieces of broken glass litter the ground.

I take a knee, picking up a few shards with my one good hand. I carefully push the pieces into a small pile, preparing to dispose of them. As I pick up another shard, I hear someone approach me from behind.

"You'd better be careful Theodore. I'd hate for you to cut yourself up even more."

I look up at the figure.

"It'll just toughen me up, Diana." I jokingly reply.

"Even so, your method of cleaning is dangerous and time consuming, especially considering you're all by yourself."

I admit, sliding my hands around sharp glass is definitely not ideal.

"What's your recommended method?"

"Stand back." She requests.

I drop the glass, and stand by her side.

She kneels down, taking out a bottle, and begins sprinkling flakes of some shiny blue powder onto the glass. She stands back up, and casually waves her wand around in a circle, saying

"Sosomme Tidiare!"

Instantly, the blue powder becomes a misty substance, seeping through the cracks of the glass, pulling everything together, as it burns off into the air.

I kneel down, curiously analyzing the mended objects. Sure enough, the test tube and kettle are restored to their former glory. With no other signs of damage, I set the objects back down in the table.

This is a useful spell. A useful spell that I don't know.

"Diana, you must teach me that spell." I request.

She smiles at my drive to learn more.

"Very well. Take out your wand, and try to recreate what I did."

I pull out my wand, stopping as I notice her on the move. She walks over to Akko's table, knocking over the recently restored bottle. Shattered glass litters the tile once more. A few students notice, but eventually return back to their own cleaning duties.

"There, now you have no room for failure." Diana explains.

Diana purposely damaging school property? Akko accidentally summoning a giant mushroom monster? This day has gone in many ways that not even a psychic could foresee! I better clean this up before someone gets the wrong idea.

Diana sprinkles the dust onto the object once more. I begin swirling my wand around, reciting the incantation.

"Sosom-"

"Wait just a second." Diana interrupts.

I look back at her, confused.

She analyzes me for a few more seconds. Finally, she comes to a conclusion.

"Your stance in wrong. Your back needs to be more straight, and your arm motions are flawed."

I shift my position, straightening my back, swirling my arm at a faster speed.

"Like this?" I ask.

She shakes her head, moving closer to me.

"Like this."

With one hand, she pushes my back straight, and with another she grabs my arm. Her hold is secure, yet soft. I can feel her warmth even through the sleeve of my uniform.

"Is this alright?" She asks.

A girl such as Diana centimeters from me? Touching me? Even if it's just for the lesson…

"Oh yeah." I reply.

I think my Italian is acting up.

With my approval, she begins moving my arm, slowly in a clockwise motion.

"Try it now." She urges me, her warm breath brushing against my neck.

I feel a slight shiver go up my spine. Oh mamma mia.

With my wand already spinning in the correct manner, I repeat the spell.

"Sosomme Tidiare!"

Just like before, the blue dust consumes the damaged parts, burning off into the atmosphere, revealing one whole object.

I pick up the bottle, and put it back on the table, all the while hoping it stays whole.

This was enjoyable for reasons I'll never disclose. Learning a new spell of course, but it had an added bonus. I wouldn't mind going through this again. I turn to Diana.

"Do you-"

The bell rings, ending the period.

"Well, that ends this mess." Diana states. "I hope next period will make up for this landslide those three created."

"Yeah, I'll say!" Hannah declares, appearing by Diana's side.

"You're so right, Diana!" Barbara declares, joining her friend.

Diana raises a hand in protest.

"Now, now, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Let us instead go to our class."

With no Akko, Lotte, or Sucy, I decide to walk with these three.

All four of us exit the class, walking through the hallway, to our mutual class. Barbra takes note of this.

"Well, looks like the boy thinks he belongs with us beauties!"

"It's because his friends are losers!" Hannah declares, laughing.

"Yeah, Ms. Finnalin's really going to lay into them this time! Right Diana?"

All three of us look at the blonde, seeking her opinion. She continues to look forward, as she strides to class.

"I hope that whatever punishment Ms. Finnalin has in mind will correct her behavior. Honestly, that girl can be quite facetious."

Facetious?

"I'm not sure I learned that word." I admit.

This time, she looks at me.

"It means treating serious issues with deliberate inappropriate humor."

Yeah, that can be Akko sometimes. Although, that's not inherently a bad thing, lightening the mood and all.

"Wow, you didn't know what that word meant? Ha! Guess you've been hanging out with the misfits for too long!" Barbara declares, laughing at me.

These two are really trying me.

"Well, English isn't my first language." I reveal, a slight edge in my voice.

"Then what is?" Hannah asks, not noticing.

"Italian."

Once the two lackeys hear this news, their mood drastically changes. The two put their hands on their cheeks in ecstasy, their lips trembling, as their eyes quiver with delight. What did I just start?

"Oh, you're Italian? Do you have any brothers?" Hannah gleefully asks.

"Yeah! Any cute ones?" Barbara adds.

"I have a sister…and a brother." I answer back.

The two girls let out a high pitched squeal, full of excitement, full of life.

"Is he cute?' Hannah asks.

"What's he look like?" Barbara questions.

I put a finger to my chin, thinking. It's been awhile since I've seen him.

"He has reddish brown hair-"

"So dreamy!" They both exclaim.

"What's he like?" Hannah asks.

"He's like a stereotypical Italian, cheerful and energetic."

"So, the exact opposite of you." Hannah remarks.

"Well, he-"

"Oh man, he sounds so dreamy!" Barbara declares, interrupting me. "I just want to grab his-"

"Girls!" Diana interrupts. "A proper lady must practice restraint."

"You're so right, Diana." Hannah says, letting out an embarrassed chuckle.

"Yeah, we're sorry." Barbara says, backing her up.

I doubt that apology was sincere. Whatever, at least we finally made it.

All four of us walk into class, taking our positions at our assigned seats. I turn around to where Akko and Lotte would've been. Both seats are empty. They're still not back yet.

I can't blame the teacher. Almost killing the class, whether it was on purpose or by mistake, deserves a rather harsh punishment. I hope that Diana is right, and this might correct Akko's behavior. Akko's a good friend, but a bad student.

I face the front, noticing that no one is at the teacher's desk. Ms. Europa is gone, but shouldn't this Mr. Brink be here by now?

Oh well, I guess substitute teachers are always late to class. He's probably going to be just another one. He'll hand us a worksheet, and be done with us until the bell rings. Nothing special. But then again, there's this.

I pull out 'The Brink of Salvation' from my satchel. This man clearly has certain points of view that make him stand out from really anyone I've ever met. I open the book to my current position. I guess a little late research while I wait couldn't hurt.

'Children, I have made several different claims concerning the inferior species known as Europeans. However, this species cannot be taken in as a whole, and must be divided into their various races. I have done it, my loyal flock. I have made a list concerning the top ten European ethnicities.

10\. Spanish/Greek: Lazy and poor, nuff said!

9\. Russian/Chinese: These two subspecies are in the same tier simply because they follow the same codes: Communism, quantity over quality, and taking human wave tactics to a whole other level. They are also the most brittle race. For example, in a battle against the Germans, the Soviets lost fifty-seven trillion men, while the Germans lost only a hundred million. The Russians are also single handedly responsible for starting The Cold War, which resulted in the deaths of sixty-nine sextillion Europeans. Also, China's Great Leap Forward? Ha, more like The Great Leap Backwards!

8\. French: this subspecies leaves a bad taste in my mouth like no other. If this list was based on my personal experiences, and not facts, the French would be ranked dead last. But why? Well, their history of course! We attained our great country by simply settling and homesteading our god given land, in an attempt to spread our culture from sea to shining sea. After our American Evolutionary War, the French copied us with 'The French Evolution'. They tried to achieve the right to call themselves equal to the racially superior Americans. They threw trillions to the guillotine, hoping to purge the European out of them. However, you can never deny who you truly are, and what they truly are is inferior. While Italians are Benedict Arnolds, the French are compulsive liars. They promised the Polish they would back them up in the second war of European aggression. They did not, deciding not to die for Danzig. Along with the regular human wave tactics, they can also defend like no other European. They stacked thirty-three billion of their own to defend their border with Germany. However, the Germans simply flanked around it, capturing Paris in two hours.

7\. Italians: The culinary masters of Europe, which isn't saying much. These people have several fight or flight responses that set them apart from all the other European races. For example, when in great distress, an Italian-European can run at eighty miles per minute, hopefully out running any would be predator. Also, they have naturally made armor, almost like the exoskeleton of a bug. Their huge nose, which can extend to a maximum of thirty-seven feet, can deflect even the hardiest of American punches. However, they can only absorb a maximum of three punches before completely shattering, killing the Italian instantly, like a bee losing its stinger. They are also shown to be compulsive traitors, switching sides wherever they gain the most.

6\. Japanese: Japan, the home of haikus, cherry blossoms, samurai, and anime. They have scored low on this list because of one reason: They attempted to attack America, simply because they were jealous of our freedom and stuff. But what stops them from ranking dead last is the fact that they had the balls to strike the most perfect nation on Earth. Thus, we can mark them down as brave fools. Nowadays, anime is poisoning the minds of millions of Americans, filling their brains with venom. Those who watch anime are secret sleeper agents for Japan.

5\. Filipino: Ah yes, the Mexican-Europeans of Asia. The reason why they're scored on the halfway mark is because of their hypocritical history. In the beginning, the Philippines was actually apart of mainland Asia. Britain was not the only state that wanted to leave their cement prison. Spain also wished for a life where greenery was abundant. They decided the perfect spot for their vacation home would be the Philippines. Being enslaved by their fellow Europeans, the Filipinos screamed across the Pacific Ocean for some good old American foreign aid. After that war, we wanted to incorporate them into our influence, to show them the true way of living, the American way of living. They protested, but we held on, hoping to give them a life worth living. They threw millions of tantrums that were nationwide, so much so that their tears created massive floods. These floods separated them from the mainland. Thus the Philippine Islands were born.

4\. German: The second most American of the European country. From their looks, they are the average European. However, it's their brain that shows their edge over other Europeans. In European wars, every state's battle plan is the same. They simply smash their soldiers into the enemy lines, almost like a human wave tactic. However, the Germans can go around, flank, and attack from behind, unfortunately, this tactic is their only tactic, and can backfire quite dramatically. From example, during D-Day, when the ten brave Americans landed on the beach, they faced fifty million German soldiers. The Germans did their grand flanking maneuver, going around the Americans, poised to strike their backside. However, all the Germans drowned in the ocean, leaving the American soldiers with the victory.

3\. British: The most American-like of those who inhabit the country of Europe. But why? Well children, it all goes back to the sixteenth hundreds. Just like now, many people came to this glorious country of America for a better life. Once the tea drinkers told us that they were from the barren concrete wasteland known as Europe, how could we refuse? We gave them control of the Eastern Seaboard, however they soon took advantage of our kindness. After a five minute war, thirty trillion British-Europeans were dead, while America suffered only one casualty. This casualty was a 104 year old American, who was outnumbered by six billion. This conflict is now known as The American Evolutionary War. This is because we had to evolve our policies when dealing with the European menace.

2\. Injuns: This group of Europeans has a hazy history. Not even us superior Americans are really sure what they are. However, American historians have agreed on a few statements. In twenty-two billion B.B. (Before Brink) the Injuns swam from Communist China in search of a better life. During this great swim, the Injun population fell from seventy-three trillion to eighty-nine billion. To compensate them for this loss of life, we gave them everything west of The Mississippi River. During The American Evolutionary War, we needed the raw resources of the west to combat the European threat. Ten years later, the Injun population fell from eighty-nine billion to eleven million. We're not sure why, but it's theorized that after we told them of our idea to retake our core states, the vast majority died from heart attacks.

1\. Canadian/Mexican: Our neighbors, the Europeans who have had the grand influence of Americanism for the last ten thousand years. You can tell that both of these European subspecies have adopted American values just by looking at them. Mexicans have the body of Americans, but the mind of Europeans, while Canadians have the body of Europeans, and the mind of Americans. Both races, while different in many ways, have the exact same composition. Fifty percent European and fifty percent American, or rather fifty percent correct.

So children, there it is. The truth has been told, and my views are final. I hope by this list that I may spread awareness, and inform the world of the European menace. My God-'

My reading is interrupted, as I hear a loud clanking sound coming from the hallway. After a few more bangs, I realize that it's footsteps approaching our classroom. Every student stares at the door, some out of curiosity and some out of fear. The sound gets louder, and louder as whoever's causing it gets closer. The sound stops as it reaches the door. The whole room stops breathing. The squeak of the opening door echoes throughout the classroom.

A man walks in. A man with neatly combed short brown hair, sun tanned skin, a small beard, and glasses. He looks to be in his late forties. This must be Mr. Brink. Wordlessly, he walks to the teacher's desk, placing a stack of papers on it. He looks up at us, the whole room silent. We're all at the edge of our seats, waiting with bated breath.

Suddenly, he lets out a high pitched yelp. It's not out of pain or surprise, but entirely voluntary. He lets out another cry that resembles an electric egg beater held up to a distorted microphone, followed by more squealing, more screeching, and more cries. What's going on?! What is he doing?!

I look around the class, and they're as clueless as me. No one can possibly explain this man's behavior, not even Diana, who's staring at our substitute teacher, an eyebrow raised, her mouth gaping, confusion carved all over her face. Carved, not written. It's that strong of an emotion. Mr. Brink continues to let out more babbled screeches.

"The hell are you doing?!" A student asks.

He stops, looking up at us with the same confusion we were just bearing. He looks completely stumped, as if his whole world crashed around him.

"Y-You speak American?" He whispers.

Whispers arise from us. What does he mean? Speaking American? That's not a language, right?

He hears us whispering amongst ourselves.

"All of you speak American?!" He demands, confusion running thick in every word.

"You mean English?" A student asks.

"No, American." He firmly answers.

Is this guy serious? I find it hard to believe that a reputable school like Luna Nova would let a guy like this teach. But then again, this whole day, no, this whole year, has been pretty unbelievable.

"I was speaking European." He continues. "But, I'm surprised that you feeble Europeans can speak fluent American, and at such a young age too!"

Another student raises her hand, saying

"But I'm not European, I was born in South Korea."

"South Korean European." Mr. Brink states, his tone of voice sounding like he's correcting her.

The South Korean European student is left entirely appalled, as the bell rings, beginning class.

"Okay then children…" Mr. Brink begins, returning to his calm state that he entered the room with. "…Now that class has started-"

"Wait? What? School's over?" The South Korean European innocently asks, standing out of her seat.

We all stare at her confused, Mr. Brink looking the most puzzled by the young witch's behavior. Is this girl serious? We've been attending the same class, during the same period, for months now, and yet she asks this? I swear, today's going to be a weird day, it already is.

"What?" Mr. Brink asks, confused. "That was the bell to start-"

"Dude, school's over!" She exclaims passionately to the person next to her, walking out of the seating area, and to the door.

That person accompanies her, smiling like no other. A friend perhaps?

"Party at Kevin's house!" Her friend shouts, overloaded with joy.

They both leave class, and enter the hallway, out of sight.

'Shake your tail, cause we're here to have a party tonight!" One of them exclaims, her voice echoing throughout the halls.

After that, we all just stare blankly at the door. Confusion runs thick in the room. No one, not even Mr. Brink, can explain these current events. None of this makes sense. It's like nothing that I've ever experience before. Sure, this school year has had a lot of difficulties and struggles, but at least those were straight forward. This…this is something different. I feel like I'm in the twilight zone!

Mr. Brink sighs a defeated sigh, and plops down in the teacher's chair. He takes off his glasses, and pinches the bridge of his nose. He looks as though he has just failed as a father, rather than being a teacher with a few unusual students. He sits like this for some time, all the while muttering under his breath. The only phrase I can make out being

"Fucking Europeans…"

"Mr. Brink?" I hear coming from Diana, her hand raised in question.

"What?!" He groans, still annoyed by what transpired.

Unfazed, Diana responds.

"Despite this strange turn of events, I believe it would be best if you continue class as normal."

His annoyance turns to rage, as he begins to rant.

"Idiots of the world unite! Who would've thought that the mighty Mr. Brink would be taking advice from a European?! That'll be the day…it's just too bad it's today…" He mutters out the last part.

"Fine, have it your way. You Europeans always get your way." Mr. Brink claims, pulling out the attendance list.

"Alright…" He reads the first name. "…Helena Bottom-Farter?"

A few chuckles arise from the students. What kind of name is that?

"Helena Bottom-Farter was the confused girl who thought school was over." Diana clarifies.

That's a real name?!

"Okay then." Mr. Brink states. "How about Mary Beth Bethbeth?"

"That was her friend." Diana informs him.

How have I not heard of these people?!

"And you are?" He asks, pointing at her with a pencil.

"Diana Cavendish."

"Ah yes, Deanna Krappenschitz." He mutters, quickly writing it down.

"No." She protests. "Actually, it's Dian-"

"Harry Kameltoh?" He calls out.

"These can't be the right names." I comment.

He looks at the paper, then back at me.

"You must be Mark-Pat Joe-Bill Dinosaur."

What kind of list is this?! Someone must've altered the attendance, a little prank for the new teacher. That's the only explanation.

"No, I'm Theodore Sempronia." I correct him.

Don't say it…

"Ah yes, Theodore Soprano."

Damn it!

He looks at his list again, then back at us. He's only gone through four of us. We still have twenty-six more to go. After realizing that fact, Mr. Brink tosses the attendance paper on his desk, saying

"I'm just going to assume the rest of you aren't here."

Aren't?

He rubs his hands together, inhaling deeply. With new found energy, Mr. Brink exclaims

"Now, let's actually begin class."

It's about time. Let's hope this guy can at least teach us something. If not, then I'll just read the magic history text book, while he rants about our European antics.

He takes the agenda plan left by Ms. Europa. He reads a few lines, all the while muttering what is written.

"Today, you will teach the class about The Gilded Age of Magic, and-"

He stops reading, as he casually throws the agenda over his head, letting it hit the ground below.

"Now class, what is the most powerful magic of all?" He asks, switching to his own lesson plan.

A student raises her hand.

"Friendship?" She asks.

"Well, think about it." Mr. Brink suggests. "If friendship is magic, and magic is devil worship, then is a school shooter the ideal person you want to be?"

Magic is devil worship? That's not the first time I've heard this claim, and it's certainly not the last. These intolerant idiots are the very reason why my family fell. These people are scum.

"Che palle." I mutter under my breath.

As if I yelled, Mr. Brink shoots a glare at me dead in the eyes.

"What did you say to me, boy?!" He demands.

"Uh, n-nothing sir!" I nervously respond.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Fucking, European piece of shit." He mutters.

He looks back at the class.

"No children. The answer is…screaming magic."

What? Screaming magic? I've never heard of it.

"It's simple to understand, but difficult to use." Mr. Brink claims. "Everyone knows that magic is created in the brain, and distributed by the heart, and into the veins. But what most people don't know is that magic has to travel through the jugular vein in order to reach the heart."

He gently rubs his neck with one hand, saying

"AKA, it passes through your throat. You can manipulate it by releasing the magic through one point, kind of like a wand. Like this…"

Mr. Brink gets in front of the teacher's desk, so nothing but our desks can block his path to us. He opens his mouth, inhaling deeply.

Suddenly, he lets it out, a tremendous screech that completely dominates his earlier ones. A strong, foul smelling, hot wind tears through us. We all cover our ears, the shattering screams flying past us. The desks rattle, the books fling away, weightless to his power.

A few lightweight students are knocked down, as others take cover under their desks. The windows crack, as every paper, and loose object flaps around wildly in this man-made hurricane. I grab onto my desk, as even I begin to lose balance.

The wind quickly settles, as the room grows still. It's as if a tornado shredded through the classroom. Papers, pencils, bags, and books are scattered everywhere. A few students that were once seated in the front are now collapsed in the back. For the second time in this class, for the third time today, everyone is stunned in complete shock. My clothes are pressed tightly against my body, while my hair is now a tangled mess. The other students aren't faring any better. Not even the prim and proper Diana is safe from this fashion disaster.

Suddenly, many students begin clapping and whistling, applauding Mr. Brink, and his magic.

"Wow, that was awesome!" Someone cries out.

"You're amazing!" Another comments.

Mr. Brink puts a hand up, quieting the class.

"Yes, yes, I know. You Europeans are always impressed by the littlest things. Now, let's see if you can do it. But, don't tear your vocal cords out in the process! You Europeans are always so frail. Just like when-"

Mr. Brink is silenced by himself. He puts a finger to his chin, thinking.

"Ah yes…" He says. "I remembered what I forgot."

He goes back to the desk, picking up a stack of papers.

"No screaming today, my little Europeans. I was supposed to hand you these papers." He holds them up, reading the names.

"Guy Hutookatit?"

"Ahem." Diana clears her throat, getting the teacher's attention.

"Mr. Brink, I think it would be best if I handed out the papers. I know everyone's name."

Mr. Brink looks down at the papers, then back up at Diana.

"Sure, go ahead. I can't pronounce these European accents anyway."

With confirmation, Diana pulls out her wand. With a flick of the wrist, each paper is magically levitated to its owner. I note that I have three. Mine, Akko's, and Lotte's. I guess Diana wants me to give it to them.

'The paper…" Mr. Brink explains "…Is your schedule for next year. Now's the time for you to fill out what classes you want. It's due at the end of the week. Give it back to your magic history teacher."

I look back down at the paper. Six empty slots for six periods. So, we're supposed to fill out what classes we want for next year? I pull out a pencil, thinking to myself. So, what classes do I want?


	18. When Two Worlds Collide

**Author's Note: Finally, Netflix has revealed when they will release the first season of Little Witch Academia! It's coming out June 30th, only nine days after my birthday, I couldn't image a better birthday present. Except maybe if I got thirty followers. Come on people, we're so close. Once this story gets to forty followers, it will officially be a big boy fanfiction, and then maybe Mama Momoxtoshiro will notice me. Leave her high castle, and mingle with us commoners?**

* * *

I sit at my desk in my dorm room, looking over my schedule for next year.

So far, I've chosen Alchemy II. I like that class, even if it almost killed me earlier. I haven't seen Akko, Lotte, or Sucy since first period. When they get in trouble, usually they come back next period with some kind of story. Not in this case.

Whatever Ms. Finnalin has in mind for those three, it must be big. Maybe they're assigned to wash our uniforms, or repair brooms that have been abused. That seems too small, though. What kind of punishment would be so big that they need all day? I'm sure those three will tell me sooner, or later.

I look back at my schedule. Think Theodore, what classes do I want? Or, more appropriately, which classes will be the most useful for the eventual rise of Rome? Advanced Magic History II might be an option. Learning about magic and what caused its downfall might give me an advantage if such a similar situation were to happen again. Those who know the past can predict the future. And those who can predict the future have the ability to change it. I hope Ms. Europa is teaching that class.

I mark it down on my paper, now having two confirmed classes in total, with only four left. I look over my other options. Nothing is really standing out to me. I wonder what classes Diana is choosing. I should ask her tomorrow-

A soft knock comes from my chamber door, only this, and nothing more. Confused, I look at my clock. It's 10:40 at night. Who could that be at this hour? I walk up to my door, opening it.

"Lotte? Sucy? What do you two want at this time?"

Lotte looks at me a bit nervously.

"Um, well…it's better to explain in our dorm. Are you doing anything right now?"

"Nothing immediately important, I'm just creating my schedule for next year."

Lotte looks at me, confused.

"Oh, that reminds me…" I mutter, going back into my room.

I grab the two schedules, walking back to the door.

"Mr. Brink handed these out while you were gone. I have one for you…"

I hand Lotte her incomplete schedule.

"Thank you." She says, taking it.

"…and one for Ak-"

I stop myself, realizing she's not here.

"Where's Akko?" I ask.

"She's probably still throwing her temper tantrum." Sucy states in her classic monotone manner.

A temper tantrum? About what? Her punishment? It can't be that bad, right?

"What's going on?" I ask.

"Please, come with us to our room. It'll be easier to explain." Lotte requests.

"Unless, of course…" Sucy playfully temps. "…you don't want to hang out with six lovely ladies in their dorm at night."

Six? Who are the other three? Hannah, Barbara, and Diana? No, of course not. Frankly, I'm still surprised Diana had that sleepover with us in the first place.

"Oh Sucy, sometimes you really need to get your mind out of the gutter." Lotte sighs to herself.

"If I did, then who would liven up this chapter?" Sucy suggests, her tone full of fake innocence.

"Sure, I'll come with you two. Like I said, I have nothing better to do."

Well, maybe sleep.

With that, I follow them to their dorm. With us three not being the most talkative people in the world, nothing much more is said.

Lotte opens the door, holding it as Sucy and I walk in.

I see Akko sitting at the top bunk of her bed. I expect some kind of greeting, however her expression is anything but friendly. Her fingernails are dug into a pillow, as she angrily grips it against her chest as tightly as possible. Her eyes are staring off into space, a scowl spread across her normally smiling face.

Something is definitely wrong with her. What can be so bad that the energetic Akko is now seething with rage? She's normally quick to aggravation, but real heartfelt anger is something that she rarely shows. Interesting. Even more interesting is the fact that it's not just the four of us.

I spy with my little eye Amanda sitting on the bottom bunk under Akko. She's lazily flipping her wand around like one would do with a switchblade, a bored frown tugging at her face. I also notice Jasminka sitting on a chair, eating a bag of chips, an empty chair next to her. Constanze is sitting on the other bed, busily tinkering with her latest mechanical masterpiece.

As Sucy takes a seat next to Constanze, Lotte closes the door, announcing

"Okay everyone, Theodore is here."

They all look up at me. It's been awhile since I've seen this three, and it's been awhile since they've seen me. They haven't changed that much, but I have several physical differences.

Immediately, all three take notice. Constanze looks mildly amused, while Jasminka stares at me in concern. Amanda, on the other hand, asks with a playful smile

"Whoa, what happened to ya? It looks like you fell out of a truck, or something!"

She means my cast and bandages. Of course, those three know nothing about Mendacius, or what transpired. The last time I saw them, Bruno was still alive. For the few weeks I've had these injuries, no one has been this direct, not even Mr. Brink seemed to bat an eye. But that's Amanda, crude and straightforward, a more outgoing version of Sucy.

Should I tell these three what happened? If I do, that's just three more people to add to Mendacius's power, and I could barely handle him with just one. Plus, I don't know these three very well, we've only met twice. I have nothing to gain by telling them, but potentially everything to lose if I do. I'll just repeat the same lie I told everyone. A lie to stop the god of lies…if only they understood the irony.

"It was a study accident. I was practicing my fire magic, when I accidentally shot my mirror. The hot glass cut my face, and burnt my hand."

With that, I casually take a seat on the bed next to Sucy and Constanze. Seeing that the cause for my injuries was nothing important, the robo lady returns to her work. I look at Lotte, who looks back. She's slightly saddened, maybe by my lie, whatever punishment she's been assigned, or both. Who could blame her? After what happened last time I lied, I surely don't want the same result.

But, that's my problem. I have to, no one can know about what happened during break. It's for their own good, and my own.

"Well…" Amanda says, returning to her wand spinning. "…at least you'll have a few badass scars."

I wouldn't call an unwanted, permanent change to my physical appearance 'badass'. How am I going to explain this to my mother?

I look over at Lotte, who is now sitting by Jasminka.

"So, what's going on? Why am I here?"

"Well, you see…" Lotte begins. "…remember when Akko, Sucy, and I got into trouble earlier today?"

I nod.

"It turns out that was the final straw, so our punishment is to organize the parade for an upcoming festival."

An upcoming festival? This is the first I'm hearing of it. But then again, I have been a bit preoccupied these past few weeks. Organizing a parade? While that's not ideal, surely that can't be the cause of Akko's intense anger. There must be something else to it.

I raise an eyebrow, silently requesting her to explain.

"It's not the parade organizing that's the bad part, but it's the meaning behind it. It's a parade reenacting the witch hunt."

Ah yes, the burning times. The second event that destroyed my family's power, and their mastery of magic. The first being the fall of Rome. An event commemorating the innocent people who were burnt alive just for being different? Why wouldn't we want to remember those horrible times? Just thinking about the sheer ignorance and stupidity of those who carried out those obscene actions fills me with an anger similar to Akko's. If I ever meet people like that, they'll pay, all the same.

"Is that all?" I ask, slightly annoyed. "What's so bad about that?"

Lotte senses my frustration, as she nervously answers.

"It's not exactly the meaning behind it…but how it's carried out."

"And that is?" I ask.

"It's a sham, the whole thing!" Amanda declares, joining our conversation. "I've seen the footage from last year, and do ya know what they did?! They threw tomatoes at students, dunked them in water, and even imprisoned them in barrels, that's what they did!"

The whole room grows quiet, as I take in this new information.

That's what it is?! Just a mock witch hunt, where the townspeople abuse us?! Nothing is learnt from that! The only thing the kids think is 'Oh man, that was so much fun, let's do it again next year!' They don't think 'I'm sorry for what these witches had to go through, and I hope that it never happens again.' They associate the witch hunt with fun. The festival only encourages hostilities, not creating peace and understanding between our two peoples.

Lotte senses the growing tension in the room. No one wants to do this, but they must. At least I can keep my self respect and not participate. Although, I'm sure I'll be involved somehow.

"Come on girls." Lotte says in an obviously fake cheerful tone. "It's not that bad, right?"

She looks around, seeking feedback from the others. She looks at Jasminka, who is currently eating from a bucket of candy. Lotte then glances at Amanda, who has returned to her wand flipping, a rather cross expression on her face. She looks in Constanze's direction, who hasn't looked up from her project in some time, her blow torch cutting through a metal cube. I wonder what she's making. Lotte looks at me, giving off an uncomfortable, wide mouthed frown.

"Unbelievable!" Akko suddenly erupts, savagely beating her pillow. "That's not a parade! They're just ruining the witch's image by participating in that thing! It's so outdated and stupid!"

I couldn't have said it better myself.

"By the way, that's my pillow…" Lotte passively whispers.

"We're the bright future of witchcraft!" Akko yells, now violently slamming her pillow against her lap. "How could they treat this next generation of great magical stars like this?! It doesn't make sense!"

Feathers from the pillow begin pouring out, littering the floor.

"But we still have to do it, or else she's going to fail us." Lotte explains.

"Well, that's how other people see us witches." Sucy mutters next to me.

"Impossible!" Akko cries out in protest.

Impossible? Let me lecture you on Sempronia history, and then we'll see how impossible it is.

"I don't wanna…" Amanda mutters, fanning away the falling feathers with her wand. "Come on, let's just get it over with."

"No, we have to do our best." Lotte objects. "Or at least try, right?" The Finn asks, looking over at Jasminka with an encouraging smile.

The food fanatic takes no notice, as she quickly pops one candy after another into her mouth. Perhaps that's her coping mechanism to counter the growing tension in the air.

The pink haired girl, suddenly stops her consumption, looking back at Lotte with an obnoxious smile. Slightly uncomfortable by direct eye contact with a stranger, Lotte slowly nods at her.

Instead of a response, Jasminka holds out a single red candy.

"You want some?" She asks, her speech muffled by unswallowed food. "Happy flavored."

"Happy flavored?" Akko quietly questions, a finger at her chin.

After a few seconds of thinking, Akko's face suddenly brightens with excitement, as her eyes shine with her epiphany.

Akko jumps from the top bunk, landing on the floor, grabbing Jasminka's offering. She pops the candy in her mouth, smiling from ear to ear, as her eyes shine like the sun, bursting with energy and life.

"We have to do it anyways, so why not make it super happy?!" Akko joyfully proposes.

The newly created energetic girl slides over to Sucy.

"Let's give witches a completely new image!" Akko declares, playfully dumping the pillow's contents over her head.

Sucy stares blankly at me, feathers stuck in her hair and mouth. I crack a smile at her new look.

In retort, the Filipino coughs the feathers in my face, muttering

"Oh no, here we go again."

Slightly disgusted, I wipe the wet feathers sticking to my face, as Akko begins happily jumping around the room.

"Gorgeous costumes! A fun ceremony! Let's make them see how cool we are! Yeah, just like Shiny Chariot!" Akko proclaims. "We're going to sing, dance, and fly in sparkling costumes! That's how the next generation of witches outta be!"

I agree with Akko that this so called festival is in a dire need of reform, but this isn't what I have in mind. Once you educate kids about the boogeyman, they're no longer afraid of it. I believe the same can be said about witchcraft. And they can't learn if they're too busy having their senses dulled by loud music, and candy.

"Uh, I don't know if it's a good idea to change it that much." Lotte says, sharing my view point.

"Fireworks, floats, great music, and a dance party for the main event!" Akko joyfully envisions, ignoring her friend's plea.

Constanze suddenly retreats from her work, taking off her goggles. With a flick of her wand, he project comes to life, growing arms and legs. The machine jumps from her lap, and onto the floor, posing with one hand on its metal hip, and the other pointing at the sky, similar to a dancer. Constanze seems to like Akko's idea. I never knew that quiet girl was a secret fan of parties.

"If you want, I can choreograph something." Amanda offers. "I used to dance."

"Seriously?!" Akko demands joyously, slapping her hands onto her legs in astonishment.

"Yeah, it's no biggie." Amanda casually responds.

"But Akko-" Lotte begins.

"Okay! In that case…" Akko says, sliding over to Sucy, Constanze, and I. "Sucy and Constanze are responsible for the stage setting. Make something that's going to amaze everyone!"

Akko quickly looks in between the two girls, at me.

"And Ted can-"

"Don't get me involved, Akko." I say, raising my hand in protest. "Ms. Finnalin made this a punishment for you, not me. I'll help, but I don't want a job."

"Okay then, you can just be our little helper!" Akko declares, as chipper as ever.

Little? I'm 5'4. That's not too small, right?

With our engagement done, Akko quickly slides to Lotte and Jasminka.

"And Jasminka is in charge of the food. Prepare some cute and delicious snacks for everybody!"

Akko turns her gaze to Lotte, brightly smiling at her, making the Finn slightly nervous.

"And Lotte, you are…the project manager!" Akko declares, forcefully slinging her arm around Lotte. "You have the most important job! I know I can totally count on you!" Akko gives Lotte a thumbs up of encouragement.

"It will be absolutely amazing!" Akko shouts proudly, puffing out her chest, with her hands on her hips.

Akko pulls out her wand, pointing it grandly at the ceiling.

"It will be called…The Happy Time Project!"

A quick pop from her wand, and magically conjured streamers explode out, covering all of us.

I lean back against the wall, thinking about this. This definitely sounds like an idea that's not half bad. Having kids love the witch parade for the plain fun of it is definitely preferable to us being tortured for their amusement. We'll have to go over the details further, but at least Akko seems dedicated in making it something special.

"Akko, I don't think-" Lotte begins, only to be interrupted yet again by Akko.

"That concludes our first meeting! Amanda, can you teach us how to broom dance tomorrow?"

"Yeah, sure. We can do it after school."

Akko looks at me, smiling with excitement as she thinks about her plans.

"Do you want to join us tomorrow?"

"No thank you, I'm fine. I have other things to do tomorrow, like work on my schedule for next year."

Akko sighs at my refusal, looking back at all of us.

"Okay then, me and my project manager…" Akko fires a wink at Lotte. "…have things to discuss. Thanks for stopping by, all of you!"

With the meeting over, we all exchange our goodbyes as Constanze, Amanda, Jasminka, and I leave their dorm.

"Ah, damn…" Amanda mutters, sighing to herself. "I really don't want to do this project. Oh well, at least I'm going to dance during the parade, so that's a plus, I guess."

"Well, you shouldn't have gotten in trouble then." I state in a matter of fact way.

She rolls her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever mom." Amanda sarcastically responds.

"What did you three get in trouble for, anyway?" I ask.

Amanda points behind her with her thumb at Jasminka.

"This one couldn't stop eating in class. Imagine those egg heads trying to concentrate when ole Jas here is crunching on her chips." She says, lightly laughing.

"Constanze was caught selling her high tech tech."

The silly little short fellow nods, confirming the story.

"And I tried stealing from Luna Nova's treasury." Amanda states, pointing at herself with pride.

"What? Why?" I confusingly ask.

"Cause I was bored."

I had no idea that Luna Nova was so lax when it came to punishments. I mean, when Akko, Lotte, and Sucy set fire to the dormitory, the only repercussions they faced was to clean the bathrooms for a week. Then just earlier today, they almost caused the death of an entire classroom, Amanda is caught stealing from the school's treasure repository, and yet all they're assigned is to organize a parade? I would've at least expelled them. Maybe the school is trying to keep what few witches they have together. We're not exactly in quantity nowadays.

"By the way…" Amanda asks. "…what happened to that dog you had?"

I freeze up.

Just thinking about Bruno floods me with many emotions, all of varying intensities. When I think of Bruno, I feel sad. I feel sad about my failure to keep him alive, especially after he saved me. His story in my life is a depressing one. He lived as the father of Lotte, and died a mercenary on some small Mediterranean island far from home. All he wanted was to see his daughter again. Mendacius offered him a deal, bringing him back to life in the body of a dog, if Bruno served him.

In the end, Bruno go what he desired, and entered Summerland a happy father. That's why he also makes me happy. Throughout his constant struggles and hardships, he never lost sight of his dream. He strived and suffered, but in the end his dream was realized, and he saw his daughter again.

I use his hardships as an example for my own agendas. My path may be uneven and bumpy, but I walk down a Roman road. In the end, all roads will be Roman, and the Sempronia family will rule supreme, exactly the way we were meant to.

"I was just looking after him. I sent him back home a few weeks ago. I'll see him again one day, I'm just not sure when."

I look at Constanze, ending the subject on Bruno's whereabouts.

"By the way, I still have your reverse hyper kinetic particle matrix arranger. I can give it back to you later."

The silly little short fellow nods, accepting my offer.

Amanda lets out a wide mouthed yawn, raising her arms in the sky in a stretch.

"Whelp, I'm getting tired. I'm gonna head back to my room. See ya."

With that, she leaves, as well as her friends, as they follow her. It's not hard to tell who wears the pants in their group.

I make my way to my own dorm as well, wondering how this whole parade is going to work out.

* * *

 **Author's Note: This chapter in my opinion was pretty short, uneventful, and predictable. Summer just started, and I wanted to get a chapter done before I go on vacation on Monday. So please forgive me of my sins, and try not to scream too loud in the review section. Keep your hate speech out of this campus. Don't worry though, it'll get juicy in the later chapters, trust this stranger on the internet.**


	19. School Schedules

**Author's Note: Well, boys and girls, we've done it. I now have over thirty loyal followers. Who was this great man that stopped my dreams from just being dreams? The God's name is AkimoTactician.**

* * *

I spot Diana, Hannah, and Barbara sitting at the table area where one would be during brunch. With the textbooks, notebooks, and loose papers scattered around, it looks as though they're studying. Good, I was looking for those three, well, really only Diana. I walk up to the three girls. Hannah is the first to notice me, as she smirks at me, before looking at her companion.

"Stalker status." She whispers in Barbara's ear.

The two giggle into their hands at the joke.

Diana notices her two friends have stopped paying attention. She looks up at the culprit, smiling as she sees it's me.

"Ah Theodore, how may I help you?"

I sit at an empty seat next to the blonde.

"I was just wondering what classes you put down for next year."

"Oh, is that all?" She asks, fishing out her schedule from her satchel.

She reads it off.

"I have Magic Law(insert AP classes here). I also have one incomplete slot, for which I've yet to decide. What about you?"

"Advanced Magic History, Alchemy II, and Magic Numerology. Besides that, I have nothing else. I was hoping we could complete our schedules together. Unless of course, you have more important work to do."

Diana shakes her head, as she closes her textbook.

"It's fine, I already know the study subject anyway, and seeing as school is over for today, I don't see why not."

The two other girls put off a confused look at Diana, before joining her, and taking out their schedules. I wonder what that was about?

As the two do just that, I look over at Hannah and Barbara.

"So, what classes are you two taking next year?"

"Just the basic stuff." Hannah explains.

"Alchemy II, Magic History II, etcetera, etcetera." Barbara adds.

"However, all three of us have one empty slot for a class of our choice. And Theodore, you have..."

"Three left to be decided." I say, finishing Diana's sentence.

"Well, one class is obvious for you." Hannah declares, in a teasing tone.

I raise an eyebrow, preparing myself for what's to come.

"And that is?"

Hannah looks at Barbra, both of them cracking smiles. She looks back.

"Basic White Magic! I mean, you're basically a walking bag of bandages, and stuff!"

The two laugh out loud, not even attempting to suppress their crackling.

"Children, pull it together." Diana demands, not at all amused by the two. "You have no idea how he received those injuries."

The laughter stops.

That's actually not a bad idea. Basic White Magic would've been nice to know during my fight with Mendacius. It has so many other uses as well.

I grin, saying

"You know what, you're right." I write down Basic White Magic on my schedule. "Thank you for your suggestion, Hannah."

The girl glares at me, angered that her insult had no effect on me.

I look over at Diana.

"I was thinking that I might take Magic Astrology. Do you know who teaches that class?"

"Yes, Ms. Ursula."

Ms. Ursula? I haven't spoken to her in some time. The last time was when Diana accidentally released the dragon, and I saved the teacher's life. It was then that she revealed herself to be Shiny Chariot. I don't know much about her alter persona, expect the fact that she was a stage performer, and is idolized by Akko. She seems okay. I've only heard good things about Ms. Ursula from Akko. With my decision in mind, I write down Magic Astrology into my schedule, leaving only one class left.

"So, you said you were taking Magic Law?" I inquire to Diana.

"Yes, why? Are you interested in taking it?" She asks.

I shrug.

"It's just an idea." I say.

"Well, Ms. Lukic, the Magic Law teacher, is holding a small meeting in her classroom for those who are interested."

That doesn't sound like a bad idea. Maybe I will attend this meeting.

"When is it?" I ask.

"It's a continual meeting. You can join anytime today."

"Even now?"

"Even now."

I think a bit, before saying.

"I think I might go now."

"Go ahead." Diana says, reopening her book. "We'll be studying here if you need us."

I smile at her offer.

"Thank you Diana, I'll be back soon."

* * *

I walk into the Magic Law classroom. It seems as though the meeting has already begun, as multiple students are listening to the teacher's speech which is already in progress. The teacher herself looks very...uh...interesting. She is an old woman with long gray hair, several of her teeth have fallen out over the years, and those that remain are pointed and chipped. Her nose is almost as long as mine, ending in a point. Overall, her appearance is of a classical witch, making her look like she could be Sucy's mom. Is Sucy's last name Lukic? I'm starting to think it might be.

I sit down at the nearest seat, at the corner of the room nearest to the door. I take a look around the class at all of the other students. The vast majority of the witches bear trembling eyes, as sweat drips from their ghostly white faces. What is this? What could have caused these people to show so much fear, and it's only the meeting to decide if you want to take the class! Maybe Ms. Lukic's appearance gives more information about her than I first thought. I start to listen to her speech, maybe then I'll find out the truth.

"Those who commit fraud through magic shall have their tongues branded with a hot iron."

Oh, so that's why the students are in such a state. Ms. Lukic is reciting magic law. After my whole ordeal with The Big Caves and Mendacius, I've grown understandably apathetic to gore and the like. That's probably a good thing, helps you stay calm under the stresses of violence. I guess you could say that I have the brain of Diana, and the heart of Sucy. Not as extreme as those two extremes, but still something that is worth noting. Let's see what else this, anything but plain, professor has to say.

"Those who kill another through magic..." The corners of her mouth crack into a slim sadistic smirk. "...will be eaten alive by mice, their incisors sharp as blades."

Oh damn, didn't I technically kill John Diehl? Sure it was basically a self defense, mercy blow, but does that count? It can't! What about all the other magical murders created out of self preservation? No, these rules clearly have something wrong with them. And why such a painful punishment? Good thing only my trusted friends know about what happened, I really don't want to be eaten alive by mice. The teacher continues with her rules, occasionally giving off a wicked chuckle.

"And finally, those who try to bring back the dead through magic..." She drifts her body to the very edge of the front student's desks, her face only mere centimeters from the young witches. "...imagine something so fearful, you would rather die than face it. They shall suffer a punishment one hundred times as agonizing as that!"

The teacher begins to laugh hysterically, her eyes bulging, all the while the students verbally whimper, terror swirling around the dark, dank room. However, it is hard for me to feel fear, when I feel anger. I've broken two of these so called rules. I'm normally an understanding guy when it comes to tradition, but this is too much. Sure, killing people outside of self defense, but reviving the dead is illegal?! Those Necromancy spells were created to be used, not thrown away and left to rot. Spells to bring the dead back to life aren't inherently evil, I've proven that. How are us witches and wizards supposed to thrive again when we can't fully unite amongst ourselves?! It's not just the parade that needs dire reform!

Without any words, while the teacher continues to laugh and the other students continue to tremble, I get up, and silently leave the class. I walk down the hallway, back to Diana, all the while trying to keep my calm demeanor intact.

* * *

"So Theodore, how was the meeting?" Diana asks, as I sit back down at the table.

Thinking about it causes me to mutter out a groan. On face value, it wasn't bad at all. I wasn't in fear or threatened in any way, it definitely wasn't as mood changing as The Big Caves. The teacher, Ms. Lukic, seems like an interesting teacher. Perhaps we could even be minor acquaintances, a lesser friendship than my own with Sucy. I'm not irritated at her, but at those ludicrous laws.

"I didn't mind the teacher, but I did mind what she said."

Diana raises an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" She asks.

"I know it's a Magic Law class, but some of the rules just didn't sit well with me. I'm sure you already know this, but apparently it's illegal to revive the dead. To me, that makes no sense. Every spell that is created has its own use, and shouldn't be censored. Those magicians who created those 'dark spells' created them to serve a purpose, right? So, why can't we find a purpose, just as they did?"

The table grows silent. Maybe it's because I've spoken out against age old rules that have been obeyed and enforced throughout time. It also might be not what I said, but that I said so much, so quickly. Usually, I say a sentence or two, and leave it at that, perhaps even adding a nod. It's not the status quo for me to break off in a rant.

"Well then..." Hannah says, smiling. "I totally know what class will suit that opinion."

"Hannah..." Diana begins.

"Nah, nah, this time I'm serious." She explains, waving her friend's doubts away.

Diana leans back in her chair, letting her friend speak.

Sure, I'll listen to her. After all, she recommended Basic White Magic. Even if it was in jest, it was still a good idea.

Hannah looks back at me.

"Magic Philosophy!" She declares.

Huh, once again Hannah gave an idea that's not half bad. It definitely fits this situation. Maybe I can make an impact there, change those few codes Ms. Lukic told us. I mean, the Romans were philosophers, so it can't be that bad. Who knows, it might actually be fun.

I nod to Hannah, saying

"Another good idea, I think I might try it."

"Professor Pisces teaches that class. I believe there is also a meeting being held for those interested." Diana informs me.

"Okay then." I say, getting back out of my seat. "Like last time, I'll be back soon."

* * *

I walk into The Magic Philosophy Class. Like the last class, there are already students there, each with a notebook out, writing hastily, as if taking notes.

Also like the last class, I sit near the door, at the corner of the room. However, unlike the last class, there doesn't appear to be a teacher. In her place is a goldfish sitting on top of the desk in a glass bowl. It has a yellow and green body, with blue and orange strips around the fins. Amusingly enough, it's also wearing a miniature witch hat in the same fashion as one worn by a teacher.

I wonder what the fish's purpose is. Perhaps it's the teacher's pet, or maybe even her familiar. That's strange, I've seen witches use cats, birds, and even frogs, but never a fish. Her choice of animal is definitely outside of the status quo, no wonder she teaches a philosophy class.

Still, I wonder where the teacher is. Isn't this supposed to be a meeting in progress? Maybe she stepped out to go to the bathroom, or get a drink of water. So, if the teacher is gone, then why are the students busily writing away? Perhaps before the teacher left, she assigned the class busy work, or maybe this is the entrance exam. In any case, it's best that I just wait for professor Pisces to return. I take out 'The Brink of Salvation'. Mr. Brink may be gone, but what he left here isn't. His message may have been confusing, some would say ahead of our time, maybe even racist, but it was still hilarious.

'Children, throughout this book I have given you several undisputed facts about the Europeans of Europe. However, it has come to my attention that there are many Europeans breeding, thriving, and spreading their so called culture on holy American soil. Today, we shall talk about a central hub that many of these Europeans migrant to. A city located in Central California, a place known for crime, murder, and worse of all, a sanctuary for the sub species of Europeans. Yes my children, I am talking about the war zone known as Stockton. Stockton, also known as the Iraq of America, is home to several violent gangs, all promoting European equality. The biggest of these groups goes by the name 'The Stockton Boyz'. Like all Europeans, they speak in autistic screaming, and random slang words. However, the gang has created several slogans in American to promote their hate group:

"Yo yo yo, Stockton Boyz comin' atcha like Cleopatra!"

"Yo yo yo, we from Southside Stockton, boyz from ma nig."

"Yo yo yo, Stockton fo' lyfe. Am I right? Ye, I'm righter tha' ma right haaaaand."

Their most famous slogan is known as 'The Call of Valour.' Yes, with a U in Valor because they're Europeans. It starts at the beginning of every one of their meetings, right before a gang war, or just at random. The leader shouts "Stockton Boyz say ho!" Then everypony who is aligned with The Stockton Boyz in the surrounding area shouts "Ho!" The Stockton Boyz are responsible for 80% of all crime in the city. You might ask how a god given American city fell to the tide of Europe. Remember when I told you that we gave the Injuns everything west of the Mississippi? Stockton was their capital, and when we took our land back, spreading our grand influence from sea to shining sea, we occupied Stockton. Now the question was, what do we do with the capital of ignorance and violence? An indentured servant known as Barack 'Hussein' Obama unintelligently cared for the underdeveloped Europeans and remade Stockton into a sanctuary city. However, there is hope for the poor Americans living in that decrepit district. There is a new group rising, one that vows to destroy every European in Stockton. The holy group is known as "The Stockton Slayerz." They are hell bent on freeing America of the Stocktonese menace. I, for one, am a proud member. Hopefully through this new information, you too can become aware of the enemy on our home soil, and join us.'

Okay, enough of that. The teacher should be here by now. I look up from my book. Nothing has changed, the students are still writing, and now I notice that the goldfish is blowing bubbles inside of its bowl. It must be breathing...but wait, fish don't breath through the mouth. Whatever, it's a magic school, anything can happen.

A little annoyed at the wasted time, I put the book back into my satchel, and get up. I can't wait for too long, I told Diana I'd be back soon. With that in mind, I leave the room, walking back to the three girls.

* * *

"Well Theodore, how was Magic Philosophy? Was it any better than Magic Law?" Diana asks.

"I guess you can say that." I answer, as I once again take my seat at the table. "I'm less angry, and more annoyed."

"Why? Was the teacher a bit too hard for you?" Hannah jokes.

"That's just it, she wasn't there."

"Really?" Diana asks in disbelief. "She normally has such a good attendance record."

"Well, if she wasn't there, then who was?" Barbara asks.

"Just me, the other students, and the teacher's pet."

"Pet?" All three girls ask at once.

So I was right, they see it as strange too.

"Well, I'm not sure if it's a pet or not. A goldfish for a familiar is a bit unusual."

Hannah and Barbara instinctively stifle a giggle with their hands, while the blonde stares at me blankly.

"I see..." Diana whispers.

What's with this reaction?

"That's not just any goldfish, that's professor Pisces!" Hannah declares.

I blink uncomfortably a few times. The goldfish was the teacher?! I know this is a magic school and all, but this is very strange news. After fighting a Roman god with a talking dog, nothing should surprise me anymore, but a fish teacher is something in a whole other league. How can we even understand her?

"If she's supposed to be a teacher, then how come I couldn't understand her?" I ask.

"Understanding fish language is complex, so only students in advanced magic linguistics can take it." Diana informs me.

Ah, that makes sense. So those bubbles I saw professor Pisces emulating must've been her speech. I guess the students were taking notes, maybe learning about what the class entails.

"Do you know any advanced languages?" I ask Diana.

"Yes, I became fluent in Dragonese at the age of twelve."

Dragonese? What even is that? She learned an advanced language at the age of twelve? And I thought I was intelligent when I learned fluent English! I know that Diana is the school's top student, but just how talented is she?

"Now, I'm not sure which class I should consider." I admit.

"Are there any other teachers that you like? That's always a turning point for me." Barbara suggests.

"Hmmm...let me think..." I request, cupping my chin into my hand.

I already have Ms. Finnalin and Ms. Europa on my schedule, I chose Ms. Ursula because Akko seems to like her, but who else is there? Well, let's think about it like this: what class has benefited me the most this year? Let's see, I dueled with Diana, killed a Cyclops, and even defeated a Roman god in battle. Well, it definitely wasn't Magic Law that I used, it was Destruction Magic. The teacher, Ms. Faralda, is pretty cool. She's young like Ms. Ursula, but not as clumsy or anxious.

"Ms. Faralda." I finally say.

"What's she teach?" Hannah asks.

"Destruction Magic." I answer.

"Ooooh, that sounds so killer!" Barbara declares.

"Girl, you are righter than my right hand." Her friend responds.

"We should add that as our last class." Barbara then suggests.

"Totally."

"Well then..." I respond, turning my gaze to Diana. "What do you think? Are you interested in Destruction Magic?"

"While I'm not interested in the destruction side of that class, I am willing to learn the self defense spells that the class has to offer."

I nod at her statement.

"So then, is it safe to say that all four of us are interested in that class?"

"Mhm hmm." Hannah says.

"Yup." Barbara adds.

"I have no other classes in mind, so yes." Diana finishes.

"Are you three done with your studying?" I ask.

"We finished ten minutes before you arrived." Diana informs me.

As I get out of my seat, Diana joins me, followed by Hannah and Barbara. All four of us make our way to Ms. Faralda's class.

* * *

Diana, Hannah, Barbara, and I enter the destruction magic class. The room looks just as it always has. A large square room, that looks more like a gym than an actual classroom. One big line criss crosses through the floor, cutting the room in two. That's the 'field', where students take turns dueling each other. I remember my duel with Diana. While I was inexperienced back then, I'm sure I can be more than a challenge for her should the opportunity arise again. While the room has stayed the same all year round, I notice two big machines one either side of the line, both hugging the opposite ends of the room. On each of the machines is a big screen, both displaying the number code: 00000. I wonder what those devices are for? Something with destruction magic I'm sure, but what? Also on the far walls lies a circular target.

Unlike the magic philosophy class, the room is not filled with many students, but only two. One of them has black hair, that is tied into a ponytail. She has a pale skin tone, and wears opaque glasses. Interestingly enough, she also appears to be the same height as me. But, even more interesting is the fact that she's using a cane, clenched in her left hand. So, I can only guess that her left leg must not be on par with the rest of us. The other one has brown hair that reaches to her shoulders. Both are wearing the standard Luna Nova uniform. So, these must be other students interested in the Destruction Magic class. Also unlike the previously mentioned class, I can easily discern which one is the teacher. I already have her as a professor, so I would be a fool if I couldn't. Behind the only desk in the room, stands Ms. Faralda.

"Finally." The teacher says as she notices us walking in. "I was hoping that these two weren't the only ones."

"Please forgive our tardiness." Diana politely requests.

"Don't sweat it. That's what these make up days are for. Trust me, worse things have happened to me today than a few late comers."

"Like what?" Barbara asks.

"Me and Ms. Ur had plans tonight, but she flaked on me. Said something about Akko and the parade."

Hannah and Barbara chuckle at Ms. Faralda's nickname for Ms. Ursula. Those two have always been good friends.

"But enough about my gal pal's disappointing decisions, let's start with this thing. I'm satisfied with the amount of students here. Especially if Diana Banana, as well as Ted Bundy, are taking it."

Those are new nicknames. Ms. Faralda always likes to leave an impression on her students. I can't believe I didn't think of her class first, I forgot how much I like her.

"Okay then..." Ms. Faralda says, leaning onto her desk. "I only ask this question because I have to. Everyone knows that this is Destruction Magic Class? And we're meeting here because you want to take Advanced Destruction Magic next year?"

All six of us nod, some muttering out yeses.

The teacher smirks, saying

"Very good."

She pushes herself off the desk, and walks over to the field, standing in front of one of the machines of unknown purposes.

"Since this is an advanced class and all, we'll be learning new things that the basic class doesn't. One of these things includes...burn temperature." She says dramatically.

Burn temperature? I've never heard of that. I don't think any of us have. I can only guess that it has something to do with temperatures and heat.

"Burn temperature..." She continues. "Is a measurement of how hot the caster can make a destruction spell, such as fire. It's mainly measured in Celsius, but sometimes Fahrenheit is used. Not Kelvin, we don't talk about Kelvin..."

Okay?

"That's what this thing does." She claims, gently clanking her fist against the metal machine. "I had it installed earlier this week."

"As an advanced class..." She continues. "I only want the above average students, those who stand out above the rest. The average burn temperature for a witch your age is 500 degrees Celsius. So, to enroll in my advanced class, be above average, score a burn temperature higher than 500."

Ms. Faralda points to the ceiling, then the walls, and finally the floor.

"There are sensors all around us. They relay back to the machine, and display a number onto the screen." She explains, guiding us back to the machine with her finger. "It's currently set to Celsius, and the screen shows 00000, because, well, no one is casting spells."

This is definitely interesting new information. I wonder what my burn temperature would be? Greater than 500, no doubt. But, I wonder something else.

"What if someone has a burn temperature greater than what the machine displays?" I ask.

Ms. Faralda waves my question away with one hand.

"Impossible." She claims. "No witch in history has been recorded to have a burn temperature even coming close to 100,000."

Well, I'm no witch. I'm sure I'll get there one day. I have to say, I'm pretty impressed with myself, learning magic in this short amount of time, while my fellow students have been practicing all there life. Yeah, I'm sure to shine.

"I'll give you children a little demonstration."

Ms. Faralda then pulls out her wand, facing one of the targets. She looks back at us with a cocky smile, saying

"Keep your eyes on the screen."

She immediately locks her attention onto the target, raising her wand up. Without effort, a ball of raging fire explodes out of her wand. Before anyone can blink, the fireball smashes against the target, erupting into a giant wave of immense heat. A jingle jangles from the machine as the number on the screen skyrockets. A few chimes later, and the screen pauses at the number 2,000.

Wow, sometimes I forgot how much of a master of magic Ms. Faralda is. She's definitely one of the best.

She glances back at us, her cocky smile even wider.

"So, who wants to go first?" Ms. Faralda asks.

Before anyone has time to respond, the teacher suddenly points at the girl with brown hair.

"You!" Ms. Faralda cries.

All eyes fall onto her.

"M-me?" The girl nervously whispers.

"Yes, you. You go first."

"Oh, uh, o-okay." She mutters, shuffling her way to the field.

As the nameless student pulls out her wand, Ms. Faralda asks

"What's your name, hun?"

"K-kiki." The nervous student replies.

"Like Kiki from Shaye Saint John?" The teacher asks, slightly excited.

"N-no."

"Oh." Ms. Faralda disappointingly says, taking out a paper and pen from her satchel.

She scribbles the student's name down, before looking back at her.

"Okay Kiki, show me what you've got."

The student looks at the target, slowly raising her wand at the target. From her nervously shaking wand, a small beam of blue energy oozes out. At a slower pace than Ms. Faralda, Kiki's magic dings against the target. Once again, the room is filled with the sound of chimes.

Ms. Faralda stares at the number, unamused.

"Hmm, 233, or about Fahrenheit 451. While you didn't make it, you can always get a job burning books."

"Oh okay..." Kiki mutters, looking down in sadness.

I feel a little bad for her. By her manner of speech, I can assume that she's a rather shy girl. Putting herself on the spotlight, only to be rejected must be a blow. But still, she doesn't have enough skill. She doesn't belong here.

"Come on!" Ms. Faralda exclaims, lightly patting Kiki on the back. "So what if you didn't make it? Life is full of let downs. That's what makes it interesting!"

Kiki appears to lighten up a bit, but is still suffering from her failure.

"Do you have any other classes you're interested in taking?" Ms. Faralda asks.

"Well, I did want to be a librarian assistant." Kiki answers, smiling as she finishes her sentence.

The teacher notices this.

"Atta girl! Go and enjoy your library life."

Kiki smiles even wider, possibly imagining herself in her wanted position. With her new found enthusiasm, the student leaves class, yelling

"Thank you Ms. Faralda!"

The teacher chuckles lightly to herself, before returning her attention back to the class.

"Who wants to go next?"

"Oooh oooh, I will!" The student with the abnormal leg cheerfully calls.

"Well, aren't you the anxious one?" Ms. Faralda jokingly asks.

The student walks over to the teacher, all the while her malformed leg veers to the left, her cane assisting her with this trouble.

"And what's your name?" Ms. Faralda asks.

"Melisa Rincones, but ya may call me Mel."

"Okay Mel, let's see your burn temperature."

"Gladly." Melisa says, pulling out her wand.

She aims it at the target. A bright green static ball bursts out, flying towards the target at high speeds. While not as fast as Ms. Faralda's, it smacks against the target far earlier than Kiki's. Like the other two times, the machine chimes, displaying the number on the screen.

"800!" Ms. Faralda exclaims. "You've certainly passed my little entrance exam."

Melisa turns her back to the teacher, walking back towards us, a smile spread across her face.

"And that's the way the news goes." Melisa pridefully mutters.

"Okay, who's next?" The teacher asks.

The next two, being Hannah and Barbara, take the test with little to no trouble. Hannah scores a burn temperature of 700, while Barbara takes the slight edge, a reading of 750. Both have passed the entrance exam. That leaves Diana and I.

"So, do you two want to rock paper scissors for the right to go next?" Ms. Faralda jokingly asks.

Diana looks at me.

"Well Theodore, would you like to go first?"

"Sure." I say, walking up to the teacher.

"Okay, go for it Theodore Sempronia..." Ms. Faralda mutters, all the while writing down my name.

I pull out my wand, pointing it at the target. If people like Hannah and Barbara are able to score a burn temperature that high, then I can easily get a number over a thousand. Time to show them the results of my training. I tense up my arm, pushing as much magic as I can to the wand. A small lightning ball appears at the tip of my wand, then eventually grows to the size of an apple. I feel the heat and hear the crackle intensify, as I put all I have into the spell. With teeth gritted from strain, I fire my magic. It travels fast, faster than anyone else's thus far. The lightning splatters against the target, exploding into smaller lightning bolts, as the sound of thunder echoes throughout the class. The machine then calculates the number.

"Very nice, Ted Cruz. A burn temperature of 950 at your age is nothing to scoff at."

I silently scoff at it anyway. A burn temperature of only 950? That means I'm closer to Melisa, then I am to Ms. Faralda. Being closer to student than teacher? Have my skills increased at all since I arrived? Yes, of course they have. While most here have been learning magic their entire lives, I've only recently have had proper training. Yes, that must be it. Besides, I still have the highest burn temperature yet. Well, there is Diana.

As I walk back to the others, Diana walks over to Ms. Faralda.

"Okay, show me your infamous talent." The teacher says, writing down Diana's name.

"As you wish." The blonde says, pulling out her wand.

I wonder what burn temperature Diana will get? Without a doubt higher than mine, but not that much. I predict the reading will be somewhere in the thousands, but no more than 1100.

Without a sign of strain, Diana launches a fireball at the target. In an instant, the magic collides with the target, shattering on impact, small fires litter the cement floor, and eventually die out. However, the number that is displayed shocks Ms. Faralda more than the fire.

"1500?! That's a new Luna Nova record!"

Of course it is.

"It's no wonder why everyone says you're the best student this school has ever seen!" Ms. Faralda continues.

"Oh please, I barely even tried." Diana admits.

"You're so cool, Diana!" Hannah cries out.

"Yeah, a true champion!" Barbara adds.

Diana quietly sighs to herself, walking back over to us, and standing next to me, not Hannah and Barbara.

I guess she's tired of their constant love and admiration. That's all those two seem to do.

With all of us having our burn temperatures recorded, Ms. Faralda begins another talk session.

"I'm very proud of all of you. I can tell that this class is full of people who know their stuff! All five of you have above average burn temperatures, and thus are accepted into my Advanced Destruction Class next year!"

Very good. I knew without a doubt that Diana and I would get in. I was uncertain if Hannah and Barbara would make it. I guess there's more to them than what meets the eye. I would hope that they would've learned something, being in the same group as Diana. It looks like they have. And Melisa? I've never heard of her until now.

"But, we're not done yet..." Ms. Faralda says with a glint of excitement in her eye. "It's true, all five of you have made it, but that doesn't mean anything to me."

What does she mean? We've passed her test, and shown her our power. What more could she want?

"You might be steadfast when firing at an immobile target, but a duel would be something interesting. That's what this class is after all, an advanced destruction magic class. If you can't handle a little fire being blown your way, then I won't waste my time on you."

A duel? The last one I had was with Mendacius, and my first one was with Diana. Two tough opponents, both made me rethink my abilities. The duel with Diana ended very quickly. I fired a few blast, she fired a few blasts, but in the end she won. Her burn temperature is at a staggering 1500, almost than double my reading of 950.

"But before we begin, let me assign you your opponents."

She scans the room, before saying

"Hanna-Barbera, your burn temperatures are only fifty apart. Both of you are about evenly skilled. You two will duel each other."

"Ah yeah, you ready for a beating, girl?!" Hannah jokingly asks.

"You kidding me? My burn temperature is higher. I'm gonna make you hot!" Barbara responds, both of them high fiving.

"Theodore, you will be fighting Melisa. You burn temperatures are also close."

So, I'll be fighting a crippled? I couldn't ask for an easier duel. I would've preferred if I was paired up with Diana, at least then I would be presented a challenge. What is Ms. Faralda thinking?

"And Diana, you will be with me. Don't hold anything back, I assure you, I can take it."

"I'm sure you can." Diana responds.

With our groups sorted out, the teacher instructs us to put on the same magic resistant suits we wore the first day of school, as well as us handing over our wands, and replacing them with the battle safe ones. Ms. Faralda then directs us to the fields. I am at the end with Melisa at my front, to my right are Hannah and Barbara, and at the other end of the room, the teacher and Diana face off.

"Begin on my command!" The teacher yells so that everyone can hear. "Your goal is to keep on kicking until the end of my timer! It's set to five minutes! I'm sure we can all last that long..."

"Ready...?!" She calls out.

Everyone takes a stance, facing their opponent.

"Set...!"

I take my own stance against Melisa, both of us facing off, ready for what's to come.

"Go!" The teacher cries.

Giant explosions go off all around me, as the other two groups have begun the battle. In response, I twist my head to the right, watching them. Hannah and Barbara are firing off quick spells, accompanied by friendly insults. Diana and Ms. Faralda field seems like a war zone. Massive explosions, swirling with every color imaginable are slung at each other. Diana seems to be more focused on defense, while Ms. Faralda unleashes her arsenal.

"Hey!" I heard someone cry out in front of me.

Looking forward, I spot Melisa smirking at me.

"You wanna go around, or just fantasize about those women all day? Come at me!"

Does she really think that she can tangle with the likes of me? I don't care if she's crippled, I'll show her.

"You'll feel like a fool later if you continue to act so cocky." I say, pointing my wand at her.

Melisa takes a defensive stance, smirking all the while.

"Let's have it!"

As soon as she utters those words, I unleash an aggressive barrage. An overwhelming bombardment of ice, fire, lightning, and everything in between. All of my energy is poured into this unrelenting onslaught of devastation. As I savagely sling more lightning than a storm could produce, I gather my remaining strength, focusing it at the tip of my wand. A ball of lightning similar to the one that was used for the burn temperature test is formed. With a grunt, I rocket the ball of magic directly at the dust cloud that I've formed in front of me. The magic explodes, swirling in the dust, creating high powered winds that eventually die down. As the dust settles, through my exhausted but satisfied breathing, I can't help but smile at my quick victory.

Superior firepower, it always works. It worked against Mendacius, and it worked now. The fact that she has a bad left leg played no part in my domination. With my cast, I'd say it evens out.

As the dust finishes parting, I quietly mutter under my breath.

"Told you you'd regret being cocky around me, especially when you don't have the skills to back it up."

"Oh really, is that so?" I hear from the settling dust.

As the air fully clears, much to my shock, I spot Melisa, grinning as wide as can be.

"H-how did you manage to-"

"All those small shots were easy to block. But I have to admit, that big boy blast at the end wasn't something I could tank. Lucky for me, I have exceptionally good reflexes despite my left leg."

Melisa pauses as she notices my exhausted breathing.

"What's the matter? All tuckered out from your volley? What sucky stamina. Whoever sleeps with you will be disappointed."

How foolish, I underestimated her! Even with her dysmorphia and lower burn temperature, she still managed to avoid even a scratch! I'm fatigued, and she's not even breathing hard! No, I'll recover my energy with time. Once that happens, I won't take her so lightly.

"Tired or not, Romans are a race of warriors. Don't forget that."

She scoffs at my statement.

"That doesn't mean a damn to me. I'm Brazilian, but that doesn't mean I'm some Amazonian warrior."

"You're definitely no warrior. Us Romans ruled supreme for over a thousand years. I'm sure I can handle three minutes."

"Now look who's being cocky. When I'm through with you, you're gonna collapse harder than the stock market in 1929!"

As Melisa finishes her sentence, she swiftly fires an energy beam straight at me. In the nick of time, I manage to block it.

"Google it if you don't get the joke." She mutters.

Enough of this!

I blast a lightning bolt at her, only for her to dodge, darting to the right. In response, she blasts a green ball of magic at me. I block it, all the while she fires another beam at me. With only centimeters to spare, I jump up, as her magical beam flies through my legs. Damn, that was pretty close to hitting my...wait!

"D-did you just try to hit me where I think you've tried to hit me?!" I embarrassingly demand.

What kind of person would do such a low brow attack?!

"Oh, how rude of me." She mutters, firing another light beam at me.

With lightning fast speed, her spell slams into my face. I let out a cry of pain, instinctively grabbing at my stinging face.

"M-my nose! Damn it!"

She lets out a light chuckle, saying

"To be fair, your nose was a much bigger target."

She notices that I'm still recovering, gritting my teeth in both anger and pain.

"Don't worry about it, I'm sure this isn't the first time you've taken a hard one to the face." She jokes.

I've had it with her!

I unleash another volley, this time much more controlled and accurate. She blocks the first two shots, then dodges the third. However, her sidestep only put her in the line of fire for the fourth shot. It slams against her, throwing her back, as she lets out a cry of pain. She collapses to the floor, gripping her stomach in agony, and silently sobbing to herself.

Oh no, I went too far! This was just a test duel, and I treated it like a real one! Now look at what I've done!

With concern, I rush to her, kneeling besides her.

"Melisa, are you okay?" I ask, offering her my hand.

She takes it, as I pull her up. Now sitting down, she looks up at me with a friendly smile.

"Thank you for helping me..." her smile changes from one of joy to a crooked, devious smile. "...and for giving me an opening.

In mere moments, Melisa conjures a giant dark purple ball of electricity, striking me head on. The ball begins to electrocute me, as I violently convulse. After a few very painful seconds, the ball explodes, inflicting even more damage, as I'm thrown onto my back.

Without a moment to spare, Melisa gets back on her feet, and jumps onto my laying body, holding me down with her one good leg. I grab at her foot, trying to force her off of me. She presses harder.

"Y-you tricked me..." I groan out.

"Of course I did! I do what it takes to win without hesitation, even if it means playing with someone's emotions! Well, your move, bud." She finishes, saying the last sentence calmly.

Once again, I grab her leg, digging my fingernails into her calf. No good, the boots from her school uniform cover her calf. I try to lift her foot off of me. Also, no good. Since she's disabled, the good leg she has is subjected to double the stress of a normal one. No amount of struggling will be enough to match her muscle.

What can I do now? Surrender?! Never! I refuse to let myself be beaten by her. Come on! I fought a Roman god, and yet I'm being thrashed around by some school girl?! This is ridiculous! While she's been learning magic all of her life, I've one recently had that privilege. I might have a higher burn temperature, but she certainly has more skill.

Okay, let's see, what's the situation? I'm injured and exhausted, all the while she has her boot firmly planted on my chest. There's only one thing I can do. It's my only chance, I have to trick the trickster.

With physical strain, I look up at Melisa, staring in her eyes, all the while trying to look as pathetic as possible.

"I-I give up, so remove your foot." I croak out.

She stares back at me. With a mixture of disbelief and pride she asks

"What?"

To add to the effect, I ball my hand into a fist, slamming it against the ground.

"Get off of me, I surrender!"

She chuckles to herself, looking quite pleased as she slowly removes her foot.

"Okay jeez, don't blow out my eardrums or anything."

I sit up, lightly rubbing at my chest, my wand at my side.

With our match having the impression of concludance, I look over at the other two matches.

Hannah and Barbara have worn each other out, but Barbara still holds a slight edge, dodging faster, and firing quicker. It must be her extra burn temperature, or maybe she just studied harder than Hannah. Diana and Ms. Faralda are still clashing with no visible signs of fatigue or stress. In fact, with every spell slung or magic manifested, they show complete fluidity. I can't tell which one is more powerful, perhaps they're evenly matched. Such skill...

I crack a smile. Such skill that I will eventually completely eclipse. I can't wait till such power belongs to me. But first, I need to deal with Melisa.

I turn to her, as she still stands over me.

"Diana and Ms. Faralda definitely have great skill. I could only imagine what would happen if they fought for real."

She scoffs at my imaginative scenario, before looking at the two fighting, saying

"In survival situations there are only winners and dead people. You were lucky this wasn't that kind of situation".

Now's my chance, while she's distracted! I grab my wand, quickly pointing it at her face.

"No...you are!"

At point blank range, I strike her in the face with a destruction spell. She flies back, landing hard on the floor, dragging against the ground.

With her elbow she pushes herself up, and with her hand she rubs her red cheek. A sudden jolt, and I hear her jaw pop, as she groans out

"...fuuuuuuucckkkkkkkk. Ok, l'm hurt now. GG no re, bud. You win."

I get myself back on my feet, my muscles as sore as can be. Through heavy breathing, I walk over to where Melisa lays, all the while I have my guard up as high as it can be. She won't trick me again.

"Are you sure? Do we have peace in our time?" I ask.

She gets up, sliding her wand into her satchel.

"Yeah, I'm sure. We both put up a pretty good fight. I like that it wasn't one sided, we both finished with a few stitches."

"I expected to win easily." I admit. "It's amazing how good you, especially with your disability."

She playfully punches me in the shoulder.

"Don't be getting a crush on me now. I'm aromantic and a lesbian, so you have as much of a chance with me as you do with Mr. Brink." She jokes.

"You know about him?"

"Who doesn't? I had him fifth period, and he was definitely something special. I don't know how, but he made me hate him in only two sentences."

The timer begins to ring loudly, ending the other two duels in progress.

Ms. Faralda walks over to the timer, turning it off, as she wipes a layer of sweat from her forehead.

"Well, that's five minutes." She declares, scanning through all of us. "And by the looks of it, all five of you have made it. If you're not crying, then you're at least teachable."

"Well, that's it." Ms. Faralda continues. "If you have any other questions about the class, just ask."

The teacher then goes back to her desk, plopping down as her energy levels run low.

"Theodore?" I hear Diana call out, as she, Hannah, and Barbara are standing by the door. "If you're ready, we can get going now."

I turn to my past opponent.

"What are you going to do now, Melisa?" I ask.

"I'm just finishing up my cameo right now".

"Oh okay." I say, walking towards Diana and her two friends.

What's a cameo? Another English word I don't know, maybe it's a spell.

All four of us leave the room.

As we walk down the hallway, I eye the three girls. Hannah and Barbara are both chatting about about their duel, accompanied by exhausted breathing and drying sweat shining on their face. Diana looks as calm and collected as she ever could. You'd think she was just awoken peacefully by signing angels, rather than participating in a scuffle with the destruction magic teacher.

"So, how did your duel go, Diana?" I ask.

"It was fine." She responds. "It was a rather one sided match, but I don't think she was fighting at full strength, perhaps half."

I wonder who would win between Diana and Ms. Faralda. That's something I'd like to see.

"I destroyed Hannah!" Barbara proudly announces.

Hannah scoffs at her friend's statement.

"Yeah, whatever. Your burn temp is higher, so no wonder you barely beat me." Hannah cooly responds.

"Barely? You were practically begging me to stop."

As those two continue to argue, Diana asks me.

"What about you, Theodore? How was your match?"

I casually wave that question away, and arrogantly claim

"Oh Melisa? She dared tried to challenge me. I took care of her with little effort."

I leave it at that as we continue to walk.

"So, what are you going to do later?" Diana asks.

"I'm not sure." I admit. "Akko's probably working on the parade, so she might ask for my help."

"I can't believe you tolerate her." Diana says.

"Akko's not that bad. She means well." I state.

"She's too loud and obnoxious. I can't believe Luna Nova accepted her."

"Yeah, I can hear her halfway across campus." Hannah claims.

"Oh come on." I say, rolling my eyes. "She's not that lou-"

"What the heck?!" I hear someone cry from the room to our left.

We all jump, surprised by this sudden disturbance.

That voice may have been muffled by the walls, but it's still self evident as to who it belongs to.

Diana stares at me unamused, an eyebrow raised, as if to say 'Oh really, not that loud?'

As if to prove Diana's statement even more, Akko keeps screaming at the poor witch.

"Yeah, I'm sorry! I can't use shiny rod, I can't fly on a broom, my grades are bad! Is that a problem?!"

Yes.

As if she heard my thoughts, I hear Akko scream

"So what?!"

Diana lets out a heavy sigh, before saying

"It seems as though I will have to restore peace on this campus."

Without waiting for a response, Diana strides over to the door. Hannah, Barbara, and I follow, none of us speaking out. The two girls are probably excited at another opportunity to torture Akko, while I'm wondering what to do. Diana is like Akko in the sense that once she puts her mind to something, it's hard to change it. The best I can do is watch, and hopefully weather the storm should things get out of hand.

Diana opens the door and enters the room. As I'm about to follow in her direction, the door suddenly slams shut, but not by Diana, by Hannah and Barbara, both of them shooting me glares.

"Can I help you two?" I ask, both confused and surprised.

"Like, what is your deal?" Hannah demands.

"Yeah, your deal." Barbara parrots.

"What do you mean?"

Hearing me ask this sends Hannah into a frenzy.

"What do I mean? What do I mean?!" She demands.

Barbara puts her hands together into a ball, holding it against her cheek, and in a mock impression of Diana, says

"Oh hello Theodore. Do you need help, Theodore? Oh yes Theodore, let me drop what I'm doing for you, Theodore. Theodore, Theodore, Theodore, Theodore!" Barbara suddenly explodes.

"Look, Diana doesn't need you. She has us." Hannah states.

So, that's it. Those two are jealous of my friendship with Diana. From what I've seen, those two only use her. They're angry that no matter how many compliments they assault Diana with, Diana won't bat an eye. She's not into constant love and admiration.

"You better back off, or else you'll regret it." Hannah hisses out.

I hold back a small chuckle. After my crusade against the Roman god of deception and lies, I think I can handle a couple of narcissistic valley girl wannabes.

Our stand off is interrupted, as our attention is snapped to the room Diana entered. Strange, it sounds like Diana, but it couldn't be. It's too horrible. The voice, it's as if the devil himself bellowed into a cave, and his words echo for all of eternity.

" **Don't compare me with someone like you, who came from some eastern island just because you fell for some tasteless magic show. There's no way we could get along**."

I nervously avert my gaze back to Hannah and Barbara. Both of them are holding onto each other for dear life, their trembling eyes glued to the door.

A few seconds later, and Diana exits the room, looking rather happy with herself. Diana is the only girl I know who can act so scary, but can go back to calm in an instance. It's like I said, a disgruntled Diana is a tougher opponent than Mendacius ever could be.

Diana moves a lock of hair back into place, before asking

"So, now that that matter is out of the way, what shall we do know?"

"Now that my schedule complete, I'd like to get back to my room to work on my homework." I respond.

"That's fine, Hannah, Barbara, and I shall resume our study session. This was a rather interesting day, let us meet again some other time."

"Yes, we should."

With that, Diana and her friends head back down the hall, towards the break area.

I look back at the room where Diana just exited. I can still hear the sounds of Akko, angrily protesting her previous engagement with Diana.

By the sound of it, Sucy, Lotte, Amanda, and the others are in there as well. It's best that I leave them alone for now. I really don't want to hear another rant from Akko. Without making myself known, I casually walk through the halls, to my room.

* * *

 **Author's Note: I think this is the longest chapter yet! But before I beg you people for reviews and followers, it's time to respond to a man. That's right, a man who shoots up a school not once in his life, but every minute of everyday. A handsome, noble man. A man who's shot up the same school twice! The man, the myth, the legend Nightcore Miku.**

" **OMG this chapter was too short! Also, you haven't responded to me for a while, are you okay? Did you meet a different school shooter? Are you cheating on me?! You bastard! I thought we had something special!"**

 **How could I ever replace you? We're closer than brothers. Remember when we had that big jamboree at Jonesboro in 1998? That was a good time.**

 ** **Also, the character Melisa is owned by TAWOGfan 2000, and Kiki is owned by PagetDaPanda.****

 **Alright juggies, don't forget to subscribe for more content, twitter, instagram in the links in the description below, and don't forget to keep it ridged.**


	20. Market Madness

**Author's Note: Well, it looks like two chapters after I ask for thirty followers, you boys give me forty. That's just some top notch amazing stuff! Just to put that in perspective, I almost double in about two months what it took me over a year to achieve! I was going to ask you guys to bump me up to forty, in exchange for a spicy reward, but I don't even need to ask! What is this reward? I am going to show you loyal and lovable followers my first fanfiction ever. Yes sir, in all of it's unedited, grammatically incorrect, and horrible glory. I'll put it in next chapter, as a Brink of Salvation excerpt. But before we begin with this impactful chapter, let me respond to what seems like a European commenter:**

" **HER NAME IS LOTTE ISN'T IT!**

 **OH MY GOODNESS**

 **OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

 **HIGH HO THE DAIRY O'**

 **AND BINGO WAS HIS NAME O' !**

 **AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH**

 **LOOTTTTEEEE!"**

 **Yes, her name is Lotte, you European.**

* * *

'Europeans are an anomaly at best. They are a race of utter weaklings. The European body is so weak, so fragile that when they blow their nose, eighty percent of what comes out consists of blood and brain matter. They have shown themselves to be susceptible to all manners of manipulation. Whether it was Hitler, or the European leader Pol Pot, manipulating Europeans is hardly a complex task. Europeans have always been swayed by the promise of free stuff. But why and how? Well children, this can all be explained by The Carbonaro Effect. Now, The Carbonaro Effect is when you tell any European that they can do something. Whether it's saying that they can dribble a ball without breaking their hands, or convincing them that they are immortal, the undeveloped mind of a European will believe it. Now that the European believes it to be true, their body will soon follow. Thus The Carbonaro Effect has begun. This is similar to The Placebo Effect, but it's only for Europeans.

But, it's not just the European elite that can sway the inferior viewpoints of those who inhabit the dust ball of Europe. There is a worldwide conspiracy to harness the unholy and unconstitutional power of The Carbonaro Effect. Bilderberg is a very secretive organization, only allowing the most elite of the Americans and Europeans to attend their meetings. The thought of dirty Europeans and blessed Americans intermingling already makes me want to vomit. However, it's their plans that completely eclipse those past worries. They plan on hacking every newspaper, every television (that is, if there is electricity in Europe), and give a message to the entire European race. That's right, trillions and trillions will hear this one sentence: "You are invincible and I am your God."

Now imagine trillions, no, hexillions of Europeans, all united under one superhuman, an American. Yeah, talk about human wave tactics, am I right? The Stockton Boyz would say that I'm righter than my right hand.

Do I need to say more? A turncoat American and European alliance controlling an army of immortal screechers is a very scary thought. It all apart of the plan. The refugee crisis was created to just squeeze in a few more Europeans into the Bilderberger's forces. But don't lose faith, the leader of Bilderberg, Hillary Clinton, will have her clit flying on an American flag before the day is done.'

My irregular reading session is brought to an end as the sound of knocking comes from my chamber door, only this and nothing more. Being so absorbed in the book, the time has slipped by me. To confirm this fact, I look at my clock, realizing that it's now four in the afternoon.

Closing the book, I get up from my table, and open my dorm door.

In the hallway stands Amanda, Constanze, and Jasminka.

Well, I haven't heard of these three since Diana showed us just how scary she can be. That was a month ago, I wonder why they're coming to me now.

"Yo bud, you free right now?" Amanda asks with one of her intense smiles.

"I'm not doing much right now, why?"

"We're going shopping for some parade supplies. You know, paint, streamers-"

"And snacks." Jasminka adds.

"And snacks." Amanda parrots, shooting a smirk at the food fanatic.

Amanda looks back at me.

"So, what do ya think?"

"I don't have any money to give." I say bluntly.

"Nah, nah, nah." Amanda mutters, waving my response away with one hand. "We've got school funds to pay for the parade. We just need a few extra arms to help carry."

Since it's the weekend, I've got nothing better to do than study. Besides, Christmas vacation is starting soon. I might as well do something with my classmates.

"Fine, I'll help. Just don't expect me to do a lion's share of the work."

"Fair enough, follow us." Amanda requests.

I leave the room, following the three down the hallway. We walk outside, until we finally stop at the front of the school. Waiting on a nearby bench sits Akko and Sucy, while Lotte stands next to the Filipino.

Strange, after not seeing much of them for a month, I at least expected Akko to greet me with some kind of friendliness, especially Lotte. But that's not what's happening at all.

Akko is currently pouting, looking very glum, while staring at the ground. Lotte on the other hand holds no emotions, her glasses shine with an unknown silver tint. She stares blankly off in the distance, not completely aware of her surroundings. What happened to Lotte and Akko? The only other time I've seen the Finn in such a state was during the whole dead dog dad situation. Akko's bubbly attitude was only stifled when she first heard about the parade, but she still can't be mad about that, can she? I glance at Sucy, hoping to find answers. Unfortunately, her normally stoic face reveals nothing.

The three don't notice us.

"Okay girls, Ted's here!" Amanda calls out.

Akko slowly glances up, faking a weak smile, before dipping her head down again. Lotte doesn't even respond, as she continues to stare blankly.

"So, are we going shopping, or not?" Sucy asks in her deadpan manner.

"We're all here, so yeah." Amanda says.

With that Sucy and Akko both get up, walking over to the rest of the group, as they leave. Lotte continues to stare off into space.

Okay, now I'm starting to worry. The last thing Lotte would want would be being ditched by her friends. I think it goes without saying when I say that something definitely happened. Whether it's was between Akko and Lotte is hard to tell. Maybe something collectively went wrong with both of them.

I put a hand on her shoulder, saying

"Hey Lotte, we're leaving."

She suddenly snaps back into reality, before looking at me with a thin, fake smile.

"Oh, hey Theodore. I didn't know you were here."

Without saying anything else, she gets up, walking towards the already mobile group.

As I try to follow, her pace quickens until we are near the front of the group.

"Are you okay?" I ask, walking up to her side.

"Could you...could you please leave me alone for now?" Lotte quietly begs, energy non existing in her voice.

Completely flabbergasted, I stop dead in my tracks.

Of all people, she's rejecting me? I would think that after what we went through together, we would at least seek each other out should a problem such as this would arise. I mean, if I can trust her with the knowledge of a god whose very number of believers dictates his power, I thought she could at least tell me this.

Well, maybe the problem doesn't require my involvement, like her's did. If it is indeed just a friendship problem, then that problem should be solved by the two friends, not an onlooker.

As I think these thoughts, I find myself drifting off into the back of the group, where the other group is.

Amanda playfully slings an arm around my shoulder, pushing me forward, while saying

"Don't push your luck bud, she's been like that all morning."

"What happened?" I ask.

"Dunno, maybe Sucy slipped her some wacky mushrooms, or something." The redhead guesses.

I don't think so. I've only seen Sucy experiment on Akko, and occasionally me, but never Lotte.

The discussion ends as Jasminka lets out a sad sigh.

"Oh shoot." She declares, looking into her empty wallet.

She stares longingly, before saying

"I'm going to do something that I don't normally do."

Eat a salad?

She looks at me, asking

"Could I borrow some money? I promise I'll pay you back with lots of candy."

"For what?" I inquire.

"Candy, but not for the parade, for me."

"So, let me get this straight. I'm going to give you money so you can buy candy, and then pay me back with candy?"

"It's an investment." Jasminka urges.

"I'm sorry, I didn't bring any." I respond. "I was told I just needed to carry stuff."

"Oh, speaking of money..." Amanda begins, digging into her pocket. "Here's a couple hundred pounds. Go and buy some fireworks."

I take the money, asking

"Don't you think that's a little excessive?"

The redhead snorts, saying

"Who cares?! It's the school's money anyway."

"If you say so..." I mutter, putting it into my satchel.

We eventually make our way to the market place. The sheer size of it is definitely not what I expected. Everyone from everywhere gathered around, huddling around hundreds of stalls that extend for hundreds of meters, selling their wares or eagerly buying their desires.

"Let's meet here when we're done." Amanda instructs.

"Okay." Akko agrees.

With that, we all split off into different groups. Akko, Lotte, and Sucy in one, Amanda, Constanze, and Jasminka in the other, while I walk alone.

I browse the stalls, looking for a fireworks vendor. I spot a guy selling flowers, someone selling kitchen ware, and another selling what looks like old garage junk.

I lose myself in the sea of stalls, completely cut off from the others, eyeing around for any note worthy commodities.

I stop as I spot a familiar face amongst the merchants. A girl with black hair, glasses, and a cane. However, instead of a school uniform, she's wearing one of her own shirts. It's a solid black color, which reads 'I before E, my gf is a C'.

"Yo." She casually greets me.

"Oh, hi Melisa." I respond. "What are you doing here?"

"Just trying to make an honest living. I have to pay for my tuition somehow."

"Tuition to where?" I ask.

"Yamaku Academy." She responds.

I give her a confused stare.

Am I supposed to recognize that name?

"It's a school for the disabled in Japan."

"You know..." She continues. "On account of my leg, I think Yamaku is the place to be."

"Aren't you Brazilian? So, you learned English, and now you're forcing yourself to learn Japanese?"

"Yeah, but I watch anime, so I'm basically already an expert." She declares, folding her arms proudly, smirking to herself.

I don't think it's that easy.

"By the way..." Melisa continues. "...after we left class I stalked you for a bit and heard your conversation with Cavendish." She puts a few fingers to her eyes, sniffling all the while.

"That makes me really sad you know, that you were willing to lie about our duel just to impress some girl."

As if by some pill, her past happiness returns in droves.

"Anyway, you wanna buy something? Khajiit has wares, if you have coin."

It was more about keeping my self esteem, than impressing Diana. Besides, if I wanted to impress her, passing an advanced class would not suffice. On another note, were those tears real? Knowing her track record when it comes to creating false emotions, it would be best if I ignore her weeps.

"Do you have any fireworks?" I ask as I continue to eye her merchandise.

She shakes her head, saying

"No, no fireworks. But I am selling plushies of demons and monsters. I'm also selling trading cards of The Garbage Pail Kids..." She follows up with a quick "...and also gremlins."

I eye more of what she offers.

Although I'm not jumping for joy at the idea of The Garbage Pail Kids trading cards, I am interested in her dolls. Not for me, but for Lotte.

Something awful clearly happened to her, to her, and Akko. I might get something for Akko later, but Lotte is more of a priority. I'm not trying to butter her up for romance, or anything. It's just a little something to say 'I care.'

"Do you have any other dolls or plushies, preferably the non demon kind?"

That would be something for Sucy.

"Oooh? Are you trying to win the heart of a Luna Nova student?" She playfully asks, winking at me.

"No, I'm just-"

"I get it." Melisa says, cutting me off. "First you give her the doll, then you give her the D."

I feel my face grow warm.

"Melisa, please-"

"But don't give her the candy, cause then you'll have to give her the C, and that's my job."

"Can you just supply my demand?" I beg, not wanting to hear anymore of her perverted personality.

"Now you're speaking my language!" Melisa declares.

She places a toy on the table, claiming

"It's very popular in Germany and Japan."

Okay, something about this doll looks very, very familiar. The doll has a pale skin complexion, black shoulder length hair, glasses, as well as holding a miniature cane.

I look back at her, slightly annoyed.

"It's also on sale at your local toy store for $5.99." She claims.

I've never seen this in Italy, nor England.

"Is that you?" I ask, pointing at the doll in question.

"Yeah!" She proclaims with pride. "If you want, I can make you into a doll too. Although, it'll have about a seventy percent markup on account of your nose. All the extra fluff and stuff, ya know?"

"Do you have anything else?" I ask, dodging her question.

She thinks for a bit, before digging around in a box.

She pulls out what looks like an old Teddy Bear, placing it on the table.

"I do have an old build-a-bear from build-a-bear workshop, where best friends are made."

Just as she said, it's an aged, dusty Teddy Bear. It has seen better days, as its fur is matted, and it's missing one of its eyes.

Lotte likes old stuff, right? I remember her telling me that spirits reside in old objects.

Melisa becomes impatient at my continued monologue, as she hastily says

"Anyway, I'm almost out of stock, so either buy something or leave forever."

That's a little harsh.

"Okay, I'll take it." I say, finishing out a hundred pound bill. "How much?"

"Bout 6.27. Would that be cash or cred?"

"Can you break a hundred?" I ask, handing her my money.

Melisa's eyes sparkle as they cross paths with the money.

She greedily snatches it in her hands, eagerly chuckling to herself all the while.

"Hehehe, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were making moves on me. Oh baby, Im gonna have some sweet dreams tonight!"

After a few more seconds of her leering, she finally completes the transaction, giving me the doll and my change.

"Anything else?" She asks.

"No, I'm fine. Besides, I better get back to finding fireworks."

"Okay, goodbye forever Theo."

I begin to walk amongst the stalls again, looking for anything related to fireworks. I spot a wine vendor, someone selling books, and another trying to trade away pillows.

After a few more minutes of walking, I spot another familiar face. Like my past encounter, he is in a vendor's stall, however unlike my past encounter, this one is an overweight, out of shape, balding, lonely man. Do my eyes deceive me?

I cautiously walk up to him.

"Beef Mc Whatnow?" I ask.

"Ho-ho-ha!" He bellows, full of jolly. "If it isn't the boy with a nose the size of New Orleans!"

That's a strange comparison.

"What are you doing here?" I ask. "Doesn't your brother own The Magic Items Cafe?"

"Yeah, but during our family reunion we had a real rager. I'm here to help pay for the damages."

He pauses, before saying

"By the way..."

Please no.

"...I have to apologize for something."

I sigh, asking

"Now what?"

He glares at me, saying

"My last name is Whatnow, not Nowwhat."

As if to shake the anger out of him, he begins to violently shake his head, his greasy hair flailing around.

"Anyway..." He continues. "...I introduce myself as your husband quite often."

I think this is the weirdest apology he's made to me yet. My mind can only guess at what he means.

"Can you explain?" I ask, not knowing if I really want to hear the answer.

"For instance, at the family reunion, we were browsing through the security footage, when I saw you and Lotte. I pointed at you, saying to my brother, Linguica Mc Whatnow, 'See him over there? That's my wife.' I've said that I'm your husband many times."

What? Why? So, some guy is flopping around England, saying that he's married to me?! Again, I ask, why?!

I try to contain my inner emotions, asking

"How do people respond?"

He casually answers, saying

"Oh, they say 'That's nice. How did you two meet?' And then I go on about how we met."

A teenager marrying a middle aged man? And people respond with 'That's nice.'?! I swear, political correctness has gone too far. But still, I'm curious above something.

"How did we meet?" I ask.

"We met at a fundraiser in eighty-nine."

The way he's saying this, it's like he actually believes it himself!

"I wasn't born in eighty-nine."

"I let everyone know that we have a great marriage." He continues, ignoring my comment. "Your parents and I have to work at our relationship though."

"Especially since they don't know you."

"But, I do apologize for that. Do you accept my apology?" He asks.

"Sure." I say.

Really, this whole thing is strange. The sooner I forgive him, then maybe the sooner I can leave.

"I was wondering if I could have a quick hug of forgi-"

Beef Mc Whatnow stops himself, as his gaze shifts to what's behind me, fear engulfing his face.

"Oh no, it's them!" He declares, immediately cowering under his stall.

"Who?" I ask, turning around.

Here I stand face to face with three boys. They are all around the same height as Constanze, perhaps a little smaller.

The one to the left is a tan man wearing a green hoodie. His white hair is best described as the head of a mushroom, covering his eyes. The one to the right is a white kid wearing a green shirt under his red basketball uniform. His curly brown hair is also covering his eyes.

The one in the middle is also a white male. He is wearing an orange puffer vest over his red shirt. He is also wearing a solid black hat backwards, the bill of said hat dragging across the ground as he walks. All three appear to be no older than fourteen, and are sagging their pants.

The one in the middle appears to be the leader, as he's the first to talk.

"Now, hol' up! Let me break this dowwwn yo. Mr. Big Nose Boi, you're in ma market. In ma town!"

His friends on either side begin shaking their heads in confirmation, muttering

"Mhm hmm."

"Without showin' ma the proper respect?!"

He turns to the white one, shouting

"Am ah right?!"

"Yeah!" He responds.

The leader asks the same question to the tan man.

"You are righter than ma right haaaand." He responds, holding out his left hand before standing back at attention.

"Now, tell me..." The leader asks his associates. "Wha happens to Big Nose Boi when he shoves his big nose onto our turfs?"

"He gets smuuushed like an aaaant on the siiiiidewalk!" The white one responds.

Well, this is certainly unexpected. After my encounter with Beef Mc Whatnow, I didn't think this day could get any weirder. What a foolish thought that was! Under the mass confusion floating in my mind, the only fitting question is

"Who are you?"

The middle man's eyes go wide, as he is taken back at my lack of knowledge.

"Who are we? Who are we?!" He demands, clearly offended.

He puts his hands to his mouth, and screeches to the heavens

"Stockton Boyz say ho!"

A response comes from his two friends. But not only his two friends, no. Everyone in the surrounding area, seller and buyer, screams

"Ho!"

The leader looks back at, smirking all the while.

"So, now ya knows wha yo really in fo'! Ba prepared boi, cause now we's bout to get freaky on ya!"

If Mr. Brink was right about one thing, then maybe he was right about another. He said that Europeans are easy to manipulate, and according to him, The Stockton Boyz are Europeans. Let's see how far his book goes.

"No." I say, refusing the fight.

"Wha yo say?" The leader demands.

"No!" I say sternly.

The three cower back at my sudden change in tone.

Tears well up in their eyes, their knees shaking in terror.

"O-oh...yeah..." The leader crocks out.

He and his two friends stumble backwards, not taking their eyes off of me, as if I'd pounce at any moment.

In one last spout of courage, the leader screams

"Ya have ah huuuge fuckin' nose!"

Without a moment to spare, the three break off sprinting for their lives, until they're out of sight. Out of sight, but not out of mind.

"I can't believe you just did that." Beef Mc Whatnow admits, rising from his hiding spot.

"Well, I wasn't about to beat up three kids." I reason.

"It's just that...no one stands up to The Stockton Boyz..."

Beef pauses for a bit, before saying

"So, about that hug of forgiveness..."

Best not to, I've wasted enough time with Beef and The Stockton Boyz. I need to find some fireworks fast.

"No, I'm fine."

"K man, keep it rigid." He proclaims.

With that, I carry on, eyeing every booth that I come across. Let's see, there's a booth for hand crafted wooden boxes, old hand me down clothes, and plushies of Melisa. I guess Melisa wasn't kidding when she said her doll was in high demand.

A little more walking later, and I find it, a booth that sells fireworks. It's about time.

I walk up to the stall, noticing that the vendor has his back to me, organizing stuff on his shelf.

Noticing a bell on his table, I ring it.

The person turns around. He's a very old man with a long white beard that scrapes the ground, complete with an eyepatch on his right eye.

Once he turns around, he puts on a friendly smile, greeting me with a

"Ah, hello Cooper!"

"I'm not Cooper." I explain.

He raises an eyebrow, demanding.

"Who is this Cooper you speak of?"

A few seconds of silence pass before he returns with rage.

"My fireworks are not for sale!"

I cast my eyes at his wooden sign. In red handwriting, it says

'Fireworks for sale'

He notices my gaze, grabbing me by the collar of my shirt, lifting me up, shouting

"You fool!"

He narrows his eyes at me, whispering with malice

"Deanna doesn't love you, Soprano..."

"Eh, okay?" I nervously respond.

"You dare not respond to me Nightcore Miku?!"

He drops me to the floor, saying

"Get off of David's patio, before I get my beating stick!"

He then walks over to the back of his stall, glaring at me all the while.

I quickly leave, walking aimlessly.

What was that? Who was that? This day has been very strange. First Lotte cuts me off, then I have an encounter with Melisa, Beef Mc Whatnow is telling people that we're married, The Stockton Boyz harass me, all in my quest for fireworks. And when I finally find a vendor...I can't even describe what happened. All of this for a parade that I'm not even supportive of. Maybe I should just go back to my dorm, and-

"What?!" I hear Akko scream from somewhere in this sea of shops. "You're always acting so stuck up, and you're always making fun of me, and laughing at me! Don't you dare treat me like your stupid guinea pig anymore Sucy!"

Ugh, now what?

I quickly move my way over towards the direction of the sound. First depression, and now anger? It's no surprise when I say that Akko is normally a loud girl, quick to bursts of anger, but nothing like this. This was even worse than the rage I witnessed in her room. That wasn't some random cry of displeasure, I sensed something real in her tone. It's as if whatever she's holding back has just bubbled to the surface.

Once I finally get to the two, I see Akko mere centimeters from Sucy, rage radiating from her scowling face.

"I'm through with you!" Akko shouts.

Before any response comes from Sucy, Akko begins to run away, only to stop, turning back to face her.

"I'm not kidding!"

Repeating the same steps, Akko begins running again, only to stop once more.

"I'm never going to speak to you!"

Again, she repeats her actions.

"Stupid Sucy, mushroom freak!"

Then Akko takes off for good this time, running away until she is fully out of sight, consumed by the stalls.

I turn back to Sucy. Her face is as stoic as ever, but too stoic. It's as if she's trying to hide her true emotions. Whether that be sadness are perhaps her own anger is hard to tell.

Feeling a bit uneasy, I walk over to her, asking

"Sucy...what happened?"

Without responding, she turns around, walking away until she too is out of sight.

What is this? A sudden shout from Akko, and now everyone's avoiding each other? Are Amanda, Constanze, and Jasminka also sharing this attitude? Could something have happened during one of their parade meeting? But what action could cause so much friction? So many questions, but none answered. Well, if I want just that, I better find Akko.

With haste, I jog in the direction that Akko took off to.

After I make my way to the other side of the market, I finally find her. She's sitting at the base of some kind of statue made out of giant curved stones pointing at the sky. A wooden sign next to the statue reads 'Sacred Stones of the witch Jennifer. Legend says Jennifer contained great misfortune within in the stone's circle.'

Akko, however, is showing more misfortune than these stones can even imagine. With her head lowered in shame, staring at the ground with sorrow, it's hard to believe that this is the same girl who seems to lighten up the room with only her personality.

"Akko, what happened?" I ask.

Again I'm met with no reply.

I put my hands to my hips, letting out a long sigh.

Amanda, Constanze, and Jasminka appear behind me. All three have bags filled to the brim with newly bought supplies. The redhead greets me with a smile.

"Heya bud, how's it goin'?" She asks in a friendly tone.

Without answering, I look at Akko. Amanda's mood drops as she too sees Akko in her current state.

"What's wrong Akko? Did something happen?"

Not getting a reply, Amanda looks around, asking

"Where are Lotte and Sucy?"

Amanda glances at me.

"I have no idea." I respond.

Seeing as she won't get answers, Amanda sighs to herself, taking a sip from her soda.

Suddenly, a tomato flies out of nowhere, smacking against her drink, knocking it out of her hand, as it spills out on the ground.

"Hey!" Amanda angrily protests, glaring at where the tomato came from.

Five boys now stand in front of us. One of them looks like Bonz from Yugioh. Another two look Indian, both twins with their hair done up. One is wearing a white shirt and blue pants, while the other has a blue shirt and white pants. That appears to be the only physical difference. Then we have a big guy who looks like he could be Chris Christie's son, his belly distended. Finally we have the short, white male standing in the middle of the ground. He wears a pink shirt. All five of them bare smirks, none of them look like they want to make friends.

"You're witches, right?" The pink shirt kid asks, pointing at us.

"Yeah, and what exactly is your point?" Amanda annoyingly asks.

"You've been casting weird spells all day in that old moldy building, right? Boiling worms, and lizards, and stuff?" He asks.

These kids have some nerve. My family fell because of these uneducated, uninformed, filthy, barbaric, intolerant bigots. The Sempronias didn't fight back, and now we're a shadow of what we once were. I'd be living like a king, performing every spell known to man. First it was the barbarians, then the inquisitors, and now these kids. There's no difference, they hate us and want us gone. These kids are just as responsible. I grit my teeth together as I try to maintain my composure.

"That's so creepy!" The Indian kids both exclaim.

"So lame!" Chris Christie's son adds.

Anger getting the better of me, I slowly move my hand into my satchel, gripping the hilt of my wand.

"Witchcraft is for old folks, right?" The creepy one asks.

"Did you know they don't even have cell phones?" The pink guy asks.

"Do they even know what a phone really is?" Chris Christie's son jokes.

I slowly begin pulling it out, only stopping as Akko suddenly speaks out.

"You guys are the ones who are behind the times, not knowing how amazing magic is!"

I ease my grip on the wand. Maybe I don't need it.

"We can do so many things, it's way cooler than your cell phones. We'll show you exactly what witchcraft can do at the parade-"

Her speech is ended as the pink shirt kid heaves a tomato at Akko's face.

In an instant, I rip my wand out of my satchel, shooting a small bolt of lightning. Only centimeters from Akko's face, the tomato explodes as my spell makes contact.

Angered at the attempted abuse, Akko pulls out her wand, gritting her teeth in rage.

"Let's go guys!" The pink shirt kid shouts, holding another tomato.

The red spheres fly, as Akko and I take a defensive stance next to each other. We both conjure our ward spells, forming them together to create one giant shield.

The tomatoes smack against our magic, splattering on impact, and creating a messy red pile at our feet.

"Oh man, so much for changing the negative image of witches." I hear Amanda mutter, as she and her friends take cover behind the stones.

Shut up! Thousands of years ago my family was forced to secede all that they worked for just to survive! Wealth, power, magic, centuries of work, all gone. It's about time we fought back!

People like these kids are the modern day version of the inquisition. They went out of their way to harass us, unprovoked. That's what makes them even worse.

As we continue to hold back their barrage, from behind us a constant stream of blue magic whizzes over our heads, towards the kids. Turning around, I see Constanze has joined in on our crusade, firing energy from some kind of gun like contraption she made. In response, the kids take cover behind nearby construction barriers. Enough defense, now's my chance!

Canceling the ward spell, I point my wand at the first kid I see, one of the Indians.

"Murowa!" I shout.

A light blue ball of magic rockets out of the wand, flying at high speeds. It strikes the target, exploding into pure electricity, relentlessly electrocuting the boy, until he collapses, groaning in agony.

"Hehe...scum." I mutter, not feeling any remorse for my actions, but rather a tingle of enjoyment.

I point my wand at the other Indian boy.

"Murowa!"

A scream of pain later, and the boy joins his friend on the ground, all in mere moments.

"It's a band of utter weaklings." I comment.

What fools they truly are, coming here expecting to win a fight against magic uses. I guess that's the little boy invincibility mentality.

After thousands of years, I can at least deliver my own form of revenge. And who better than those who deserve this pain?

I aim my wand at the ogre of a man, Chris Christie's son.

"Murowa!" I shout.

Surprisingly, only a puff of blue smoke eeks out.

That's it? Where's the righteous retribution? Maybe I pronounced it wrong.

"Murowa!" I scream.

What's going on? It was working a second ago. Why is it stopping now-

"Why won't it work?!" I hear Akko cry out.

Turning towards her, I see she too is having wand troubles.

"That's weird." Akko mutters, looking over her wand.

As she continues to inspect it, a tomato flies, hitting her in the face.

Looking back towards the boys, they have abandoned their positions, standing up as they pelt us.

"The enemy is out of magic, now's our chances!" The pink shirt informs the two that are left.

A tomato hits me in the arm, another hits me in the chest, and a third in the face.

"Why you?!" I angrily yell, wiping the goop from my face, all the while standing up.

I glance at Akko, who seems to have taken a thousand tomatoes, the red insides completely bury her.

"Hey, that's enough you guys!" Amanda shouts, leaping out of her hiding place, her and Constanze running towards the boys.

I join them, as we both rush them. Amanda grabs one of the kids by his pink shirt, while Constanze goes for the creepy one.

I stare at the only opponent left as he stares back.

"Jeez I'm like double your size. Don't you have any bigger people I could fight?" Chris Christie's son jokes, smirking at me.

This isn't good, I was hoping to fight with the pink shirt kid himself, not this lard. He outmatches me easily in both strength and size. Plus with my cast on, I can really only use one hand. But I do have one advantage, an advantage that Romans like me always have against barbarians like him. I'm smarter than him, much smarter.

"Be careful, or else you'll join your two friends on the ground." I warn him.

I can at least act like I can beat him. Maybe my overconfidence will deter him from combat. Besides, if I can handle a Roman god, then this guy should be nothing.

"You're the one who knocked them out?!" He demands. "I'll beat the witch out of you!" He screams, charging at me.

Once in reach, he grabs both of my arms, squeezing hard, as he tries to pull me down.

"D-damn you." I grunt, struggling to fight back. "Why don't you just let us be?"

"Ha! Why should we give you witches any break?" Chris Christie's son bellows. "You guys barely count as people, anyways!"

What a disgusting individual!

In anger, I spit in his face, shouting

"Die!"

With his own anger, he spins me around, slamming me on the ground, his knee on my back.

"What is wrong with you?!" He demands. "We just wanted to have some fun. You're the one who took it to far!"

Damn it! How can I beat this guy, when I'm under his boot?! Brute force won't do it, and my wand isn't cooperating at the moment. Maybe I can try something that has worked in the past. A strategy that a fellow student employed on me.

"Yes...yes, you're right." I say as pathetically as possible. "You've shown me the sins of my actions. Truth be told, I've only wanted peace between us."

"Peace?!" He questions. "You knocked out two of my friends, and even bragged about it! And if I remember right, you just told me to die!"

Damn, this guy remembers like an elephant. Fitting, considering he's the size of one.

"I was bluffing. I would've said anything to drive you people away. Just as you do, I care for my friends, and don't want to see them in danger. The spell that I used didn't harm them in any way, it was a mere unconscious spell. I was never going to hurt you or your friends. And that's the truth, I swear. I swear it."

I begin to feel less pressure on my back, as he eases his hold

"If I let you go, do you promise to leave?" He asks.

"Yes, of course. I'll retreat back to my old moldy building, where I'll continue to boil worms and lizards. You'll never see us again!"

He hesitates.

"Please believe me!" I beg. "I'm wearing a cast, how could I possibly be a threat?!"

After a few uneasy seconds, I feel his full weight leave me.

I smirk to myself. What a fool!

I get up as well, turning around to face him, straight faced.

"Yeah..." He says. "So, now that you're free, you can-"

He is swiftly silenced, as my fist makes contact with his stomach.

He doesn't even cry out, as he collapses onto the ground.

"Looks like all that muscle of yours was useless. Honestly, what astounding weakness." I point out.

The only response he conjures up is a loud moan, as he continues gripping his stomach.

I take a knee next to him, smirking as he continues to writhe in agony.

What an idiot! The last thing you should do is trust your enemies on the battlefield. He is a brute, who tried to attack us for no reason. He is lesser than me, I am superior to him.

I grab him by the face, digging my fingernails into him, as I pull his face up. From my casted hand, I raise an elbow, only to hear him cry out in protest.

"W-wait...please let me go, I'm sorry." He begs, tears and blood dripping from his face.

"Do you really think I'm going to fall for my own trick? Save your pleases for someone who cares."

I strike him hard in the face, my elbow making contact with his jaw.

I let go, allowing him to fall back to the ground.

I stand back up, lifting my foot, preparing to stomp on his head.

I hear a pitter patter of footsteps behind me. Turning around, I see the pink shirt kid and the creepy one, both carrying one of the Indian boys. As they run away, the kid in the pink shirt shouts

"Get up, we're running!"

Upon hearing this, Chris Christie's son attempts to push himself up. As I'm about to deliver the kick, I feel a hand grab my shoulder. Turning around, I see Amanda grabbing onto me.

"Let them go." She says.

I don't protest, those kids aren't worth my time anyway.

The kids run, limp, and hobble until they're out of sight.

Amanda turns to me.

"Now." She starts calmly. "Can you tell me...what the hell that was?!" She screams.

I stare at her, extremely confused.

"What do you mean? I defended myself against an attacker."

"You almost killed that guy!"

"They attacked us!" I point out.

"They're just kids! They don't know any better!"

"Does it matter? They're lucky I didn't do worse."

She sticks out her tongue in disgust.

"You're twisted." She claims.

"My nonno taught me. He said to be good to your friends, but horrible to your enemies." I explain.

She shoves her face close to mine.

"Then he's twisted too!"

Jasminka decides to step in, putting herself in between us.

"Please stop fighting." She softly requests. "I think we all need some happy flavored candy."

"You're right Jas." Amanda says, sighing.

She backs up, looking at me.

"Sorry bud, getting beat up makes me cranky."

"Apology accepted. What's done is done. At least they won't bother us anymore." I point out.

The red head nods at my reasoning.

I spot the Teddy Bear I bought for Lotte laying on the ground. I walk up to it, picking it up, and dusting it off. As I look it over for anymore dirt, I notice a small blood streak soaked into the fur. How did that get there?

After quick examination, I notice some thin streaks of blood running down my hand, the hand that I grabbed the kid's face with. Some of his skin hangs in between my fingernails, as the blood begins to coagulate on the tips.

Slightly disgusted, I notice a nearby fountain. After walking to it, I begin to scrub my hand, making sure to get in between the nails.

Amanda and the rest take a seat at the fountain. While her group claims the steps, Akko looks longingly into the water as she sits on the ledge.

After my clean up, I sit down by Amanda and Constanze.

"Those brats, I can't believe they came to harass us like that." Amanda says, rubbing an injured shoulder.

"No hope for us outside of school. Our energy doesn't last that long." Amanda points out.

"And why is that?" I ask. "My wand stopped working as well."

"We're out of range of The Sorcerer's Stone." She answers.

So we can't use magic when we leave school? That's where Magicus Synthesis comes into play. I guess I don't have it after all.

"Akko..." Amanda begins "...I guess that plan of yours really isn't going to work?"

No response comes from her, as she continues to isolate herself from us.

"What isn't going to work?" I ask.

"She was planning on throwing a giant magical party for the town." Jasminka answers.

Constanze nods, confirming this.

Amanda continues to look at Akko, waiting for some kind of response. However, nothing comes out of her. She continues to act as she has all day, cold and quiet. Honestly, just what happened?

Seeing as she won't get anywhere in terms of dialog, Amanda pops her possibly bruised back, while standing up.

"We're gonna go back now."

Her two friends join her, as they get up and gather the items they bought today.

"See ya." Amanda says, as all three walk off.

That just leaves Akko and I.

I glance at her just as Amanda did. The results are more or less the same. She has her arms wrapped around her legs which are pressed against her chest in the classic depressed posture. She stares longingly into the water, her eyes glistening as the setting sun shines onto them.

"Akko..." I call out.

No response.

Nothing I say can help. Whatever she's going through is something that involves only those who were involved. She just wants to be left alone.

"I'm going also Akko. I hope you have a good night." I say, grabbing the doll, and leaving.

Well, today has been a mess. Akko, Lotte, and Sucy have appeared to fractured. Whatever reason, it must've been a big one. It's unlike Lotte to tell someone to leave her alone, and me of all people, after all we've been through?!

I'm not sure if it'll be today, tomorrow, or next week, but I need to visit her, see what the cause of all this tension is. Who knows, maybe Sucy will satisfy my inquiry. But before I do anything, I'll stop by my dorm. I could use a nap.


	21. Clarity

**Author's Note: Owen Shroyer here with InfoWarsdotcom, I just saw something amazing while browsing through the story stats. Normally, I get about one thousand views every month, a very nice number. But this past month, the month of July, I received a staggering three thousand views! Hey, that's pretty good.**

 **Before we continue this heroic epic, let me answer this great man's comment:**

" **I liked the chapter a lot and here is the part I say the pairing I would like to see Ted x Akko**

 **And again great chapter keep the work up."**

 **Thanks man for the love, I will definitely keep the work up. As for the pairing, we'll just wait and see.**

 **As promised, this chapter will contain my first, incompleted fan fiction. Make sure to let me know how awful it is.**

* * *

In the midday sun, I walk through the streets, searching for The Magic Items Cafe.

I admit, it's strange for Lotte to send me on such a task. Usually she's the one to do this herself.

I pull out the list she gave me. So, it looks like she wants new candles, an athame, and a glass bottle of rain water. I'm not sure what she needs this stuff for, perhaps something to do with spirits.

In any case, it's best that I get this over with as quickly as I can. I don't feel at ease in this town anymore, and no, it isn't The Stockton Boyz that I'm afraid of. After what happened with those boys, I can't help but feel like they're watching me, looking for an opportunity to strike. And after learning that I unfortunately cannot perform Magicus Synthesis, magic can't help me if I'm caught. Anything to make this trip faster, I'd gladly take it.

Truth be told, I don't regret what I did, I only fear the backlash that it might cause. Who knows, maybe I'll be dragged out of my bed into the night, only to face a lynch mob. Those kids, even though they were kids, had it coming. It's no different than spanking your child. Those kids showed deplorable behavior, and they were punished. It's as simple as that.

But still, I can only wonder what the group thinks of me now. Amanda didn't seem too keen on my correctional techniques. Even if she did give a short apology for her protest, it was obviously only said to keep the peace. We could use some of that nowadays. With Akko and Lotte's friendship hanging by a thread and the recent engagement with those kids, well let's just say, I'd rather be fighting Mendacius. At least then I knew who was the good guy. I'm a good guy...right?

Of course I am, I'm Roman. And with a confirmed burn temperature of 950, while the average is 500, I'm a first class student. That counts for something. I was in the right. They are the barbarians and I am the Roman, it was just history repeating itself. Surely that's all there is to it.

After more walking, I find myself at a situation. I'm only one block away from The Magic Items Cafe. I can either go around the entire block, or simply cut through an alleyway. The alleyway will save me ample time.

I do just that, leaving the openness of the street, and entering the confined space of the alley.

The ground is dirt rather than cement, and trash litters the floor. I spot a few empty beer bottles, candy wrappers, and even a tattered old blanket.

Far ahead of me I spot four tall objects obstructing the path. As I get closer the four objects turn into four people, only recognizable by their silhouettes.

What could this be? A drug deal? A gang fight? Perhaps something more? Alleyways are notorious for illegal activities, right?

The four notice me, as they begin walking towards me.

I stop, just standing and staring as they get closer.

Who are these people? Whoever they are, they're trouble, I can feel it.

They come into view. To my great disgust, I find myself face to face with the pink shirt kid, the two Indians boys, and the Bonz lookalike.

All four of them are bearing scowls except for the pink shirt kid, who's smirking grandly.

"What does a piece of Pagan trash like you want with us?" He asks.

Trash? They're one to talk.

"Oh, I know now." I reply, reaching towards my wand.

To my surprise I don't grab the familiar handle, but instead a handful of air.

Nervous, I quickly dig through my satchel, finding nothing. It's empty!

"Grab him!" Pink guy demands.

Behind me, I feel someone grabbing me, holding me in a full Nelson.

Enraged, I turn my head, seeing the face of Chris Christie's son behind me. He has a dark purple bruise on his cheek from where my elbow hit, and he has multiple small scabs on his face, evidence of my fingernail grab.

I struggle, shaking, hoping to get loose. He holds on tighter, crushing me against him.

"Stop struggling, you witch wannabe!" Chris Christie's son demands.

"How's your face?" I ask in a mocking tone.

He responds by kneeing me once in the back, the blow causing me to groan.

As my back throbs intensely, the other four move closer to me.

"You hurt my boys, three of them." The kid in the pink shirt says, grinning. "So now we're going to hurt you."

"You can all go to Hell." I spit at them.

He laughs, reaching for something in his pocket.

"Funny, cause you're the one who'll be given Hell..."

My eyes go wide as all four pull out knives.

I scream, thrashing around wildly in desperation.

"W-Wait! Please let me go, I'm sorry! Release me! You'll never see me again!"

"Yeah right, I'm not falling for that again." Chris Christie's son mutters in my ear.

"I mean it this time! Please! Does human life mean so little to you?!"

"Save your pleases for someone who cares..." He responds, parroting me from earlier.

All four draw closer to me, the pink shirt kid only centimeters from me.

He painfully grabs my hair with one hand, and with the other he raises his knife.

"S-stop! I was wrong! Don't do this!"

Ignoring me, he presses the cold edge against my face. In an instant, the cold is replaced by a stinging warmth as he slices my cheek. The blood runs down my face, creating a small puddle below.

"Y-you...you brat..." I groan out.

He holds out the knife for all to see, the blade dripping with my own blood.

After a few satisfied nods from his friends, he turn back to me.

He presses the knife against my abdomen, the metal tip pinching into my stomach.

What?! He's going to disembowel me?! Is he insane!? No, I can't die!

Like a wolf backed into a corner, I lash out, slamming my head into his face.

He drops the knife, grabbing at his busted nose, as blood pours out of his hands. With outstretched fingers, I throw my hands back, shoving fingers into Chris Christie's Son's eyes. He cries out in pain, letting me go as he too grabs his face.

I don't waste any time. I run, run like I never have before. Gripping my injured cheek with one hand, I run out of the alley, my heart throbbing wildly. I continue sprinting, ignoring the questioning glances and concerns of passer byers. I run like a gazelle would from a starving lion, with no worry for anything but my own survival.

I make my way past the town limits, and into the forest, never looking back, as if one peek would knock the final nail in my coffin.

Eventually, my adrenaline and thus my body gives out. I collapse, exhausted, next to a creek.

My heart beats like a drum as my eyes frantically search the area. I see nothing, hear nothing save for my own ragged breathing.

I lift my hand from my face, looking at the mess of blood covering my palm.

Damn, those kids need to be put in an asylum and starve to death.

Hot, bothered, and covered in my own sweat, I dunk my head in the creek. The refreshing water cools my stinging wound, freshening my warm face. I could stay like this for a year or more.

However, all good things must end, and this is no exception. As my lungs burn for air, I whip my head out of the creek, looking longingly into the water.

As the ripples subside, the image of my face comes into clearer picture.

A straight slash runs down my cheek, as blood sprinkles out.

I dip my hand in the water, getting it wet before bringing it to my face, wiping off the blood.

Looking back into the reflection, I notice something strange. It has stopped bleeding completely, but even more peculiar is the fact that if you look into the cut, you don't see a blank red mess as usual, but, if my eyes aren't deceiving me, I believe I see another layer of skin.

Curiously, I lightly dig a finger into the wound, feeling no pain, the cut only opening more, exposing even more of the mystery skin.

What is this? It's as if there's another face under my face, but that's insane. That's can't be a thing, can it?

Wanting to find out the truth, I begin to tear away at the skin even more, pealing away more and more. As if possessed, I rip at my face madly, every tear only intensifying my curiosity.

When it's all done, I stare back into the creek. A new face greets me, a face that's as horrible as it is all too familiar. A face that haunted my dreams, and brought me closer to death than anything else before.

Through my eyes I see the face of Mendacius staring into the water. Uncontrollably, the face slowly spreads its lips in a smirk, saying the single word

"Liar."

* * *

I jump, awakening in my bed, sweating profusely.

I dart my eyes like a scared rabbit around my room.

I draw silent, listening for any foreign sound, the only noise being my pounding heart.

After a few tense seconds I come to the conclusion. It was all a dream.

It's strange though. Why would I dream about those kids? It can't be a guilt triggered dream, for I harbor no regret for my actions. Perhaps it was a warning of what's to come. Hmm, not likely. No matter how vile those kids might be, I find it hard to believe that they're going to shank me in a back alley.

But what about Mendacius's appearance? I haven't had a dream nor a nightmare of him after Lotte saw her dad. And what did he say? Liar, I think. So what if I did lie? I did what I had to. How else was I going to win a fight against Chris Christie's son without magic?

Mendacius doesn't grow strength from lies, as far as I'm aware of. No, he definitely doesn't. With all the lies being told throughout the world every day, he would've been back before I even left The Big Caves.

It's probably just some teenager hormone dream. People in my age group are known to have weird dreams, especially when an eventful or stressful day happens before. Earlier today was one in particular. Besides, it's not the first time I've had a dream about Mendacius. Who knows, it might not be the last. That guy definitely left a lasting impression on me to say the least.

Nevertheless, I still need to figure out what happened between Akko, Lotte, and Sucy. I'll swing by their dorm and find out the truth.

Looking outside my window, I note that the sun is going down, yellow rays engulfing the sky. It looks like I slept straight through the rest of the day and into the afternoon.

As I put on fresh clothes, I play around with a few ideas of this sudden disturbance. Perhaps Sucy tried to take Akko's guinea pig status too far, attempting an experiment far out of Akko's comfort zone. But that doesn't explain why Lotte is so irate.

Maybe, well maybe...it's just that time of the month. Damn, well I don't know much about...that, but I do know that it can cause sudden mood swings. But all three acting like this at once? Is that time of the month the same time for every girl, or does it differ from person to person? As interesting as that possibility is, I doubt it. After all, it's not like I've been here for under a month. If those three act like that once a month, I would've noticed it sooner, especially since every other student here is a girl.

Enough of all these hypothetical theories. The only way to know for sure is to ask them directly.

With my room and myself now organized, I leave my dorm, Teddy Bear in hand, walking through the halls, and to their room.

I knock on the door, waiting for one of the girls.

Surprisingly, Sucy herself answers the door. She has on her pajamas, as if she was getting ready for bed. She stares at me, waiting for the reason of my disturbance.

"Hey Sucy, where's Lotte?" I ask.

Sucy steps to the side, revealing Lotte sitting at the desk. Her arms are folded on the table, as she buries her head in them. She is also wearing pajamas.

"She's been like that all day." Sucy comments.

"Where's Akko?" I ask.

"Dunno." Sucy says, shrugging. "She didn't come back yet. No surprise that she can't face the music after what happened."

"What did happen?" I ask curiously.

"I'll let Lotte explain that one to you." Sucy states, sitting on her bed, pulling out a book, and engaging in that.

I close the door as I enter, walking over to Lotte. She continues to bury herself within her arms, not acknowledging my presence in any way. It's like she just fell asleep, completely unaware.

I gently put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it compassionately.

"Hey Lotte, it's Theodore."

She stirs, slowly raising her head up to me. She smiles at me. It's a small smile, but a real one nevertheless.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" She asks.

It looks like she's doing better than last time I saw her. Time has a tendency to heal wounds, or in Lotte's case, a scab.

"Well, you seemed a little down, so I bought you this." I answer, holding out the Teddy Bear.

Her previously lazy eyes light up at the gift. Her smile grows, as she outstretches one of her hands. She retracts as soon as it makes contact, as if it was some rare and fragile archeological find, never to be touched by human hands.

"You got that for me?" She asks.

"Yes." I say, nodding to her.

She takes it, snuggling up with the bear as a child would do.

"Thank you very much. This is...this is so nice."

She gently places it on the desk, pulling out her wand from a drawer.

With a flick of the wrist, a light blue mist flows out of the wand and seeps into the Teddy Bear.

After a few silent seconds, the blue mist comes back out, forming into a small blue humanoid figure on the desk.

"The spirit of the the Teddy Bear." Lotte explains.

The Finn grabs a lamp decorated with a skull from under the table. She delicately taps it with her wand, whispering

"Come out, come out."

Another blue humanoid spirit emerges from the lamp, jumping out and onto the table with a thump. This catches the attention of the Teddy Bear spirit.

The two examine each other cautiously in the same way that two puppies would at a dog park.

Newly acquainted, the two begin playing, running around on the desk, chasing each other.

"There, now you have a friend to play with." Lotte says, chuckling at their actions.

She continues watching the spirits play. Perhaps it reminds Lotte of her and Akko.

"You still don't know what happened, do you?" She asks, her gaze never wavering, and her smile never fading.

"No, but I'd like to know." I admit.

"Akko, she..., well she accidentally ripped a music sheet that's been passed down from generation to generation. It meant so much to me, and now it's gone."

So that's is? I admit, ancestry means a lot to me. I'd probably kill the person who destroyed my pugio dagger, or any other Sempronian artifacts for that matter.

But still, it's Akko. Sure she can be clumsy and dumb at times, but overall she means well. I doubt she would've tore the music sheet on purpose, even if she really wanted to.

"We all makes mistakes." I bring up.

"That true, but this is a pretty big one."

Maybe me sharing my experiences on mistake will make her feel not so alone and damaged.

"I'll tell you about a pretty big mistake. My family once ruled over Rome, but thanks to their own cowardice we lost it all. We're still trying to correct that mistake to this day."

"Yes, you've told me this before. But-"

"But that's not all." I continue, interrupting her. "In our quest to regain our past power, we've done some pretty horrible stuff over the years, stuff long before I was born, and stuff I remember vividly."

She looks down in her lap, asking wearily

"What's your point?"

"My point is once you see a mistake, you should try to fix it as soon as possible, and not let it fester into something even worse."

Her eyes widen, as her confusion runs amuck across her face. Her gaze turns to the window, as she begins to deep think on the matter.

I may have hit a note, but I still don't want to leave, not yet. I want to know if I truly had a lasting effect. I might as well get comfortable.

I sit down on the bottom bunk of the bunk bed, pulling out 'The Brink of Salvation'. Hey, if he was right about The Stockton Boyz, then who knows what else he was right about?

'As we all know, Europeans are dumb, plain, and simple. They are born dumb, live dumb, and die dumb. The whole European species runs on a quantity over quality mentality.

However, with billions and billions of Europeans, there are bound to be some that have great mental strength, for a European. The smartest European, George Soros, has a mental and physical capacity equal to what an average American kindergarten has. But even kindergarteners can read and write, and thus the horrors of European literature was created.

I'm surprised myself that a few gifted Europeans can even hold a pencil, let alone write symbols and characters recognizable by other gifted Europeans.

Now, in European literature there are no original stories, as they are not creative enough for such a task. Thus, all stories created by Europeans take the form of fiction created by the fans of a certain American cartoon or book, that is if the European can read.

One creator of European literature chills me to the bone with his ugly stories, even compared to other European stories! He has no name, for his adoptive European parents were too dumb to be creative and think of one. However, he is known in America as RomanViking. What a disgusting individual he is.

What makes him worse than any other European writer is the fact that he is not European, but American. Yes, this filthy man is a turncoat to the entire holy nation of America by participating in this disturbing European ritual.

His stories aren't even good. The one he's working on right now, 'Little Wizard Academia', which is a fan fiction of the Tibetan cartoon 'Small Mage School', is horrible. It's clearly a self insert, Mary Sue, harem.

It's about a horny boy, who thinks he can get some action at an all girls school.

Even his earlier works are atrocious. His first story is about a horny boy who thinks he can get some action at a school for the disabled. You see the theme that this pedophile follows? It wasn't published, and for good reason. He was only thirteen in American years when he wrote it, so that's a disgust point. The grammar is wrong, the story is wrong, the characters are awful, and there is no sense of relation between the main character and I. A true European piece of literature.

Then again, a story about a Roman boy going to an all girls magic school doesn't exactly relate to me either.

Anyway, if you have kids, now's the time to get them out of the room. I have done some elite American hacking, and dug up the story out from the deep web, RomanViking's incomplete fan fiction of the visual novel Katawa Shoujo. God give you strength.

"The Bad Beginning

The names Jango Cross. Italian by trait. I live in a small town called Godega di Saint Urabano. I was born with a condition called anemia. This causes me to have a lack of blood cells so im extremely pale with bags under the eyes and low stamina. I had a normal life despite this up till high school. It was just another day of boring school up until the walk home. While i was walking i noticed a shadow that kept following me from behind. I didn't mind and just carried on. Up in till he spoke.

"Alright albino just hand over your wallet and we're fine".

Oh no not him it was Dirk Damnrin the bully of the school. I turned and as i did two of his lackeys grabbed my arms and pinned me too the wall.

"I dont have any money" i said

He reaches his hand down into my pocket and picks up my wallet.

"You know something" he says, "I really hate liars."

My eyes grow wide as he pulls out a lighter and a can of aerosol spray from his pocket.

"Lets make that face tan" he says

He puts the lighter in front of the can lights it and pushes the button. Fire shoots out and makes contact with my face. I scream in agony as the flames sears my skin. As i pass the pain finally goes away.

The Hospital

I awake with several bandages covering my head. A heart monitor hooked up to my arm as the rhythmic pulse of my heart matches that of the machine. I start to sit up but instantly backed down as intense pain overwhelmed me. I wait for what seems like hours but is just minutes in real life. I start to remember of what just happened to me but my train of thought is interrupted as a white clad man opens the door.

"Well well it looks like your awake" he says

I reply with nothing as im lost in my own thoughts of what im doing here. He seems to read my mind as he speaks.

"It appears that you were attacked and someone heard your cry of pain."

I think hard and remember the attack. The lighter. The aerosol can. And of course Dirk Damnrin.

"What happened to Dirk" I ask

" Mr. Damnrin and his friends are as of now facing 3 years jail time. Your parents are on their way now so i must go and prepare for their arrival."

He leaves without any further word. I finally fall into a well deserved rest. I am awoken by my parents and the doctor. The doctor was in mid sentence talking about sone school called Yamaku Academy.

"It is a great opportunity to-"

He is cutoff mid sentence as he notices my awakening.

"Hello son" my parents says.

I turn to the doctor

"What's Yamaku Academy"

"Well its a school located in Japan. It specializes in teaching and catering to the needs of the disabled" my doctor says

"I know i have anemia but that's no reason for me to relocate right" i turn to my parents for answers.

My dad is the first to speak "Your doctor fears that another attack like this might occur again. This is a good opportunity to continue your education."

This kind of sounds good too me but wait.

"I'm going to have to move out of Italy?" I reply

"Unfortunately yes" my doctor says " their is no other school in the world like this one but don't worry all the preparations for your flight have already been made out. You leave in a few weeks."

Im sunk so i dont even get to choose but whats a school like that even like?

"But before we do anything its high time we take off those bandages" the doctor says.

He reaches to my face and once the surgical scissors makes contact with the bandages the sound of cloth breaking fills the air. Once the bandages cone undone it feels good to have that side exposed to the cool air again. However the good feelings end as i hear my mom screaming in terror and a look i have never seen before shone on my dad's face. I grab the hand mirror laying on the desk next to the bed and take a look. The right side of my face wad covered in burns and scars as i felt the skin it had a rough leathery feeling. Also my right eye was now permanently bloodshot. Even my ear was burnt to a crisp. Is this really me now?

First Day"

What did I tell you, my children? Pure disgust, pure horror, pure confusion, pure autism, pure European.

Reading this has just ripped you away from God's favor, and has damned you all to European hell. For that I am sorry. But have no fear, me, Mr. Brink, shall save you from the brink of destruction, and bring you to the brink of sal-'

"I used to get laughed at when I was little, because I was from a family of witches." Lotte admits, interrupting my reading.

Looking from my book, I see her staring out the window, a smile spread across her face. "But you know, when I sing the magic song, the fairies would make a rainbow for me. It was always amazingly beautiful."

Sucy and I glance at each other. It seems like Lotte is feeling better.

A pause later, and Lotte continues.

"Akko didn't mean it. Besides, I still remember every last line of the song. It may be gone, but its memory and spirit stays with me."

"Just like your dad." I point out, trying to instill more happiness into her.

She sighs happily, continuing to look out the window.

"Yeah, just like my dad."

After another period of silence, she gets up, walking over towards me. I close my book and stand up, wondering what's on her mind. Unexpectedly, she wraps her arms around me in a light hug.

"Thank you for coming here, really. It means so much to me that you came just to see if I was alright."

Smiling, I hug her back, saying

"Of course, we're friends, right?"

Her tighter squeeze is answer enough for me.

I feel another squeeze, this time on my shoulder. Looking at the source, I see Sucy with a hand on my shoulder, a thin smirk on her face.

"Theodotte." She whispers.

I give her my own smirk before looking back at Lotte, our embrace ending.

"The parade is tomorrow, and after that is the start of Christmas break." I point out.

"Yes, I've decided. I'll be there at the parade, when it gets dark. I was already debating my arrival before you came."

"Yeah, me too." Sucy adds.

I'm sure Akko will love to hear that.

I turn towards the window, noticing that the sun has completely disappeared, allowing night to reign supreme. That's not good. If I remember right I'm supposed to be in my dorm by night, especially since I'm a boy. Also, I came here to find out what was wrong, not fix it, but it seems like I've done just that. My work here is done.

"Well, I'm going to go now." I say, putting 'The Brink of Salvation' back into my satchel.

"Have a nice night Theodore." Lotte sweetly says.

"Yeah, try not to have any sweet dreams about us Luna Nova ladies." Sucy jokes, winking at me.

As I exit the room and close the door, I hear Lotte say

"And thank you again for the Teddy Bear. I know exactly what I'm going to do with it."

Now alone in the hall, I decide to go back to my dorm. I already had a nap earlier, but I feel like I'm going to need the extra energy for tomorrow.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Well this was a short chapter. Really, I'm sick of writing the canon story, and I want to get to the juicy good stuff that I've thought up. Sorry though if this wasn't what you were expecting.**

 **Now, with all this conflict over the destruction of the ancestral poem, it must've said something pretty beautiful, right? If you pause the movie when Lotte first opens the scroll, this is what it says:**

" **I travel all around the city, go in and out of locomotives all alone. There's no one here and people everywhere crying, cause I need you crying, I can feel you crying, cause I need you crying, cause I care. It's a hot day and I'm dressed lightly, I move carefully through the crowd, here everyone, it's so vulnerable and I'm aswell. There's no one here and people everywhere crying, cause I need you crying, I can feel you crying, cause I need you crying, cause I care."**

 **Truly a work of art. Better than my fan fiction, no doubt.**

 **A little bit of research later, and the song is called 'Crying' by Björk, an Icelandic singer. Why Trigger chose that song is a mystery never to be solved.**

 **Now that that's out of the way, it's time to respond to a man, a man who is not the same man who we all know and love, but is. A man, a new man known as Nightcore Miku.**

" **Sorry Nightcore Miku hasn't responded to you. He died in a school shooting. But, like the Dread Pirate Roberts, the name Nightcore Miku is passed down from person to person. I am the new Nightcore Miku. I enjoy the band Suicidal Tendencies, listening to nightcore and slitting my wrist open to finally reach Enlightenment. I hope we can be friends or lovers or whatever."**

 **A true loss to humankind, may his soul rest comfortably, knowing that he died doing what he loved. I welcome you, the new Nightcore Miku, with open arms, and I expect all of you readers to do the same.**


	22. The Enchanted Parade

**Author's Note: RomanViking, where are the chapters RomanViking, where the hell did you put the chapters?! What, did school just start? What, no. You're busy with your own life? Wow, that's really weird. I thought you had no life outside of Little Witch Academia Fanfictions.**

 **Three really interesting comments, all three left by guests, and sharing a similar theme. Can you guess what it is?**

" **I will welcome the new Nightcore Miku and forever ship Diana X Theodore."**

" **Please have Diana and Theodore be together. They deserve each other."**

" **Ted X Diana for the win!"**

 **I think we can see what's the most popular ship right now.**

 **I'm just wondering where are all my Ted X Sucy people at? Did you guys have a ship war that I wasn't aware of, and all them died?**

* * *

I wake up in my bed to the sounds of my alarm. Wiping the crust from my eyes, I get up, turning the device off. Beginning my morning routine, I make my bed, all the while slowly slipping out of sleepiness. It's minutes into this that I realize something. Today's the day of the parade.

Tonight Akko and the others are going to the town, hopefully giving the villagers a show. That is, of course, if she's up to it. The last time I saw her, Akko seemed anything but joyous. I hope that, like Lotte, she's allowed time to heal her metaphorically. It'd be a shame to see a friendship such as theirs ruined.

As I button up the uniform, sling my satchel on, and make my way to the door, I notice something. Poking out of the bottom of the door is a note. But what kind? Could it possibly be a letter of admiration?

Perhaps my role as the only male in this school is starting to take a toll on the female student body. Could it be from a girl unknown to me, or a close friend? Maybe my burn temperature wasn't the only thing that made Melisa hot and bothered. It might be from Lotte, or better yet...Diana?

With my curiosity only growing, I pick up the letter. I feel my face become a little warm as I read the name. It's from Akko!

I guess she wants to firmly grasp my Shiny Rod.

I read the note with haste, my whole world brought to a halt, as my full attention is directed at the paper. Akko's a bit too energetic and dull minded for my taste, but-

Oh wait, it's just a parade plan.

I feel my blush subside, thanking the gods and goddesses above that no one was around to see this embarrassing misunderstanding.

Still interested, I look over the note.

The paper is folded into four sections. On the side facing me, the words 'Happy Time Project!' are written in red marker. Looking on the back side, the words 'Prade Plan' are written in blue marker. I smirk at that. Looks like she spelled parade wrong, so Akko.

Around the words are crude drawings of all of us. There's one of Akko, Lotte, Sucy, Amanda, Constanze, Jasminka, and I, my head gone, but replaced with a huge nose, stretching from one side of the page to the other. How accurate.

Finally opening it up, I am met with four individual drawings, one for each square.

'Fireworks!' Is what's written on the first square, accompanied by a drawing of fireworks.

'Float!' Is written on the next box, followed by a picture of all of us laughing, as we sail through town on a parade float.

'Music!' Is what's next, a few music notes drawn all around the single word.

'Friends!' Is on the last box. It's accompanied by a picture of all of us, in a sort of group hug, smiling ear to ear.

Flipping it around once more, I notice something written on one of the boxes that was previously covered. It simply says 'Meet me at the school garage. Let's give the town a parade they'll never forget!'

I grin at this new news. Well, it looks like Akko has her groove back.

Putting the pamphlet into my satchel, I leave my dorm, walking towards Akko's suggested destination.

So, it looks like Akko, Lotte, and Sucy have hung up their differences to dry. But what about the other three? I haven't seen Jasminka show any signs of mutiny towards the project. But then again, we've hardly spoken to each other. It seems all that girl ever does is eat her fill and then some. But at least she's one of the nice ones.

Constanze seems to just go with whatever Amanda says or does. Same applies to Jasminka. Amanda seems to be the Akko of their group.

I don't know much about any of them. But then again, they have a reputation for being problem children, so that might be for the best.

As long as they don't rub off on me, they're fine-

"Yo bud, behind you!" A familiar voice calls.

Turning around, I see Amanda, Constanze, and Jasminka walking up to me.

"You got the letter?" The redhead asks, holding up a copy of what was under my door.

"Yeah." I answer, taking my note out and showing her. "I guess she wants us to meet up in the school's garage. Is that where you were going?"

"Ya know it. I'm not going to leave this girl hanging, especially when she's so passionate about it."

"Being threatened with repeating the year also helps." I point out.

She gives an uneasy grin, saying

"That it does."

We begin walking down the halls together. After a few minutes of silence, Amanda asks

"So, did you ever find out what happened between those three?"

I nod, saying

"Yeah, it turns out Akko accidentally tore up a music sheet that's been in Lotte's family for a long time."

"That would be a tension starter." Amanda reasons.

"But after venting her grief to me, Lotte seemed better. She even said she'd join up with us once it gets dark."

"Is that why you bought that bear?" She asks.

"Yes."

She smirks at me, and with a little wink asks

"Oh, a little lady's man?"

"I was just helping a friend in need." I reply.

"Oh come on, don't be like that! This is the time for hormones to rise! Surely the thought of a manual stimulation must've crossed your mind once or twice? Hell, what do I know?! Maybe it was ten or more."

I glare at her, embarrassed that she would mention such a thing so casually with someone she barely knows.

"That's none of your business."

She shrugs, muttering

"Whatever."

We enter another section of the building, the garage the Akko specified.

Looking over the railing, we see a very exhausted Akko on the ground level floor below us. She seems to be working on a crude, but big wooden skeleton of what looks like a parade float. She must've spent all night working on it!

Not yet noticing us, Akko casts a levitation spell, lifting up nearby boards of wood. Through exhausted grunts and groans, the wood floats over to the float, in an attempt to attach the boards onto the skeleton. Exhausted, Akko loses control, the boards falling to the ground with a loud thunk, pieces of the parade float also fall off.

Undeterred, Akko shakes off her failure, casting the spell once again, this time having to lift both the boards and the pieces of the parade skeleton.

Amanda shoots all three of us a look, while pulling out her wand. Understanding her gaze, we follow her league, pulling out our own wands. We point them at the parade float, Akko still struggling with her task. With the added help of our own magic, what was once a strenuous task for the lone witch, is now a simple group effort.

Confused, Akko looks around the room, wondering what could've made this time easier. Her gaze eventually finds her way to us.

"You're here..." Akko whispers, her eyes glistening with delight, lips curved upwards in a smile.

"Course we are!" Amanda responses, as all four of us walk down stairs to greet her.

As we reach ground level, Akko loses it, jumping at all of us in a tight hug.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Akko quickly cries out, her hold on us tightening with every thank you.

How can she even hold all four of us?

"No prob, after all, we're in this together." Amanda says.

"We're stuck with each other more than caramel." Jasminka adds.

"I told you I'd help, Akko." I say.

Constanze nods at all of our statements.

Amanda ends our embrace, grinning, while declaring

"Enough hugs, this float ain't gonna make itself!"

Akko's eyes widen as she remembers something.

"But where are Lotte and Sucy?" Akko asks.

"I talked to them yesterday. They said they'd join us once it got dark." I inform her.

"I hope Lotte's okay. I really didn't mean to tear it." Akko admit. She looks down at the floor with slight shame, before asking "Do you think she's still mad at me?"

"She was fine when I talked to her. Don't worry about it. Next time you see her, just apologize. I'm sure she'll forgive you. She already has."

"Hey you two!" I hear coming from Amanda.

Looking over at her, both Akko and I see her and the others already engaged in the construction of the float.

"Stop dragging your feet, and lend us a hand!" The redhead says, a grin on her face.

Akko and I exchange a friendly nod, before joining them in our shared endeavors.

* * *

"Do you really think that'll work?" I ask Akko.

"How else are we going to use magic during the parade? If we can take magic from The Sorcerer's Stone, and store it into The Shiny Rod, just think of all the cool effects we could do!"

"It just seems like a long shot." I admit.

"I won't know unless I try." She responds.

"I'm with Akko." Amanda says. "We can't do the parade without magic. Besides, what else do we have to lose?"

"It could work." Jasminka points out.

Constanze nods at this.

Seeing as I'm outnumbered here, I give in to Akko's theory.

"Alright fine. But how are we going to get to The Sorcerer's Stone?"

"Someone could just fly me up there." Akko suggests.

"Who?" I ask.

"Well, since you can't fly, I'll go with Amanda." Akko answers.

The other three witches flash me expressions of confusion, while Amanda asks me

"You can't fly? Jeez, I thought you were supposed to be a top notch student, or something."

With all eyes on me, I rub the back of my head, slightly nervous.

"Well, I started the school year not being able to fly, yes. But I learned a few months ago...from a friend."

"Sweet." Amanda says, a grin spreading on her face. "I've always loved a good broom ride. Clears the head, ya know-"

"Whaaat?!" Akko spontaneously questions, shoving her face close to mine. "You absolutely need to teach me! Please, I'm begging you! Everyone here has been flying since they were kids! But you get what I'm going through, right?! Please, show me your ways!"

"Yeah, okay, relax Akko. I'll teach you later." I say, gently pushing her away so as I can see something else besides the desperation in her eyes.

"Tomorrow, when the parade is over!" Akko urges.

"Okay, I'll try to teach you tomorrow."

"Do you promise?"

"Yes."

"Pinkie promise?"

"Yes." I respond, my patience beginning to grow thin.

Unaffected, Akko holds out her pinkie, a big goofy smile on her face, excitement bursting at the seams.

A sigh later, I lift up my pinkie as well. We lock fingers, completing the ritual.

"Cross my heart, and hope to die." She says, smile never leaving.

"I don't want to die."

"Say it!" She impatiently shouts.

"Uh fine. Cross my heart, and hope to die."

"Great!" Akko beams, satisfied with my forced commitment.

"So, are we going to do this thing, or what?" Amanda asks, looking back at Akko.

"Oh yeah, right!" She responds, getting up from her seat, as Amanda followers her outside.

"And what are we supposed to do?" I ask.

"Just sit tight till we get back!" Akko replies, both her and Amanda out of sight.

I glance back at the two remaining witches. Constanze has taken out bits of tech from her pocket, and proceeds to work on them. Perhaps a new project? Jasminka does what it seems she always does, eating from a bag of chips, the mechanical grease from her hands not affecting her snacking. It seems like the both of them are off in their own world, while I am left alone.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not exactly a talk machine myself, but normally it isn't verbally quiet. Normally Akko and her conversations with the others provide excellent background noise. But she's not here right now, nor Amanda. It's just us three students, who are notorious for our lack of communication.

As much as I beg for peace and quiet when Akko's on max volume, this silence feels off. Constanze is definitely not going to break it, and I doubt Jasminka can speak when she continuously shoves snacks down her throat. If anyone were to end this shared silence, it would be me. Besides, I was just wondering earlier about these two characters. This is the time to satisfy my inquiry.

"So, how have you two been?" I ask.

The munching of chips stops.

"Oh, I've been fine." Jasminka responds. "The parade is so close. I'm excited."

Constanze gives a simple nod, her eyes never leaving her work. I guess she's doing fine as well.

"What are you looking forward to, Jasminka?"

"All the candy!" She responds gleefully, tiny bits of chewed chips flying out of her mouth.

"And you Constanze?" I ask.

She finally looks up, pointing one of her gloved fingers at the parade float.

It takes me a few seconds to realize what she means.

"Oh, you're excited to try out the parade float, aren't you?"

She nods, returning back to her work.

Well, this is about what I expected. Me asking something, them giving a brief answer, then returning back to their work.

Jasminka at least gave a verbal response, even if it was muffled by chewed food and her own natural quietness. Constanze just nods. That's it, a nod, a head shake, a muted grunt if I'm lucky.

All three of us get along fairly well, but don't expect us to lead any minor conversations or small talk. We end up tripping on each other.

I guess there's nothing left to do, but sit here with my thoughts until-

"Ah, there you are Theodore." I hear from a familiar voice.

There's only two girls I know who call me by my real name, and this one is too posh to be the other.

I turn around, facing whom I consider to be my best friend at this school.

"Hey Diana, were you looking for me?" I ask.

The witch walks in, taking a seat next to me, Constanze and Jasminka not minding in the slightest. I guess it's only Akko that holds contempt for her.

"Yes, I was." Diana says. "With the parade beginning in only a few hours, I wanted to inspect your progress. It seems as though Akko has shifted the parade to meet her own self righteous goals."

"I wouldn't put it exactly like that." I respond. "A show of lights and sounds is definitely preferable to how it once was, wouldn't you agree?"

"Although I detest the past parades, that doesn't mean I'm content with Akko's childish idea. I'm against the entire parade to begin with. The history of witch oppression is absolutely humiliating. I've considered many times about appealing directly to the headmaster to have it taken out of the school's regulation."

A brief period of silence follows before she asks

"What do you think about this? Do Akko's ideas align with your own?"

"I'm not sure." I admit. "I'm only helping them out since they're friends. If it were anyone else, I would've said no. I agree with you completely, the oppression of witches and wizards was a horrible time, my family knows that from experience. But, as I thought about it more, I believe that Akko's parade could actually be beneficial. If we can pull off this parade correctly, it's definitely a step in the right direction."

She scoffs, before saying

"Sometimes I wonder who's side you're on."

I turn to Diana, and without thinking, ask

"Diana, can we talk outside, in private?"

Constanze and Jasminka both shoot each other confused stares, before returning to listening in on the conversation.

Diana looks back at me, her brow furrowed in confusion.

After a moment of thought, she nods, standing up as I join her outside, out of earshot of the other witches.

"So Theodore, what's on your mind?" Diana asks.

"I just wanted to say thank you."

She furrows her brows once again.

"Whatever for?" She asks.

"For everything. Thank you for saving my life, not once, but twice."

Diana lets out a light and little laugh, asking

"Oh Theodore, are you referring to the dragon incident? It was simply my duty to evacuate the students safely."

No, she's done so much more, much more than she realizes.

"That's not all. When we stumbled on each other in the woods after the whole Mendacius incident, we were nothing more to each other than acquaintances, people who just acted friendly towards each other. In that moment, I wasn't very stable, both emotionally and physically. I was in a dire state of mind..." Slightly embarrassed at admitting this, I drift my eyes towards their ground. "I'm not sure what I would've done if someone I barely know emerged from the woods covered in blood and lashes. Scream and run away? Perhaps. But comfort them? That's something only a great friend can do."

"Theodore please, you're beginning to make me blush..."

Looking up, I see that her face does indeed have a slight red tint to it.

I guess she's not used to this, to real affection, not the obviously fake praises that Hannah and Barbara dish out. But honestly, can I stop now? There's still so much left to thank her for.

"Even when you were ill informed on the matter, you still helped me through. Although I wasn't exactly in my right mind, I remember you helping me prepare the potion for Lotte's dad's resurrection, even when you frowned upon necromancy. Whether it was emotional therapy or simple study help, you've always been there for me. I've never thanked you for that, for any of it. So, thank you very much Diana."

She smiles at me affectionately, saying warmly

"Well then, you're very welcome. I'm glad I've had such a positive impact on you."

Silence falls onto us. However, this is not the same silence that Constanze, Jasminka, and I shared. This is a silence that only those who don't need words to know what one another are thinking can share.

We both gaze at each other, smiling, enjoying one another's company.

Without warning, Diana gently grabs hold of my hand, the one with the cast.

My face turns a little red by her unexpected and forward attitude. She's not holding it like one would do when lovers go on a walk, but is instead studying the bandages themselves. My heart beat increases, as I begin to grow anxious. She has never held my hand before, I don't think any girl who wasn't my mom has. Diana has hugged me before, sure. But this outward affection, a face of Diana unknown by most of the students and staff, is something that has been presented to me time and time again. It's definitely a true rarity to see this side of her.

She continues to look it over, her compassionate curiosity accompanied by a light smile.

With her free hand, she reaches into her satchel, pulling out a black marker.

She uncaps the pen with her mouth, and writes in her perfect penmanship 'Diana'.

I stare at the new decoration on, until I look back at her in question.

After a moment of thought, she returns her marker to my cast, writing something else.

Only when she removes her marker, am I able to make out her new changes.

The dot on the 'i' in her name has been replaced by a heart.

I turn my gaze to her now, as she lets go of my hand, returning her marker to her satchel.

Diana returns to her smiling state as if nothing happened, and says

"I've considered it, and I will be viewing the parade."

I look at her signature on my hand, then back to her. Whatever just happened here, it was definitely a moment that Diana just doesn't share with just anyone.

These past few days have surely been a flurry of emotions. First the feeling of anger caused by those kids at the market, then an unplanned experience of sentimentalism with Lotte, and now this unknown warmness that I'm experiencing at this very moment. Hell, and this was just during the parade's preparation. Who knows what tonight will hold?

"That's great, I hope to see you there." I respond.

Diana looks back at my arm, asking

"So, when is it that you get your cast and bandages off?"

"I had a checkup with nurse PagetDaPanda a few days ago. She said I could take them off at anytime, I just haven't gotten around to it yet."

Diana's smile widens.

"Well, that's just marvelous. It pains me to see them, even when my name is inscribed."

"I'm not much of a fan either-"

"Yeah, we got it!" I hear someone yell from above.

Looking up, we both see the silhouette of two people flying away from The Sorcerer's Stone tower on a broom. Well it doesn't take a genius to guess who that is.

Diana also recognizes the voice.

"Well Theodore, I believe that's my cue to depart. Unless of course you want all these positive emotions replaced with drama." She jokes, grinning at me.

"No, it's fine. I'll look forward to seeing you at the parade." I say, returning her grin.

"Till we meet again." Diana says, before turning around and leaving before a certain someone ruins this happy time.

* * *

Lights, people, tents, sounds, and smells run amuck.

As we all stand in the float, in the middle of town, an entire festival appears to be taking place. The vendor's booths that once dominated the town square are now replaced by giant tents. While the selling of items remains the same, the items themselves have changed. Flowers have been replaced by festival food, fireworks have taken the place of furniture, and beds have been replaced by balloons.

The whole town square is lit up by small decorative flags and Christmas lights strung up on wire, connected to streetlights and temporary festive torches, reminding us all that tomorrow is the start of winter break.

Street performers, men in costumes, and eager tourists swarm the square like ants. There's even a rumor that the mayor himself is here.

As people walk by, they cast an occasional glance at our float before moving on to something more exciting.

"Okay, done." Amanda sighs out, having finally finished the final installments on the float.

Constanze, manning the helm of the ship shaped..., pulls a lever in response. A giant wooden claw mechanically folds out, stretching towards the night sky. In it lies The Shiny Rod, filled with The Sorcerer's Stone's energy.

"Whoa..." Akko mutters, mouth wide, impressed by her own idea coming to life.

"Well Akko, give it a shot." Amanda suggests, smirking at it as well.

"Okay." She enthusiastically replies.

Pulling out her wand, Akko casts a yellow colored spell on nearby wooden brooms. As if taking on a life of their own, the five brooms on each side of the ship stand straight up, like soldiers ready for further command.

"It worked!" Akko happily confirms.

"Yeah, maybe it can work the way we planned it." Amanda ponders. "Your idea of letting Shiny Rod absorbing magical energy and using it in town seems to be working."

"Akko, that was really smart." Jasminka compliments.

"You can be pretty resourceful when it matters." I add.

"Yeah?" Akko asks, face pink from embarrassment at our praises.

"Here, have this." Jasminka offers, holding out her reward, a single chip from her family sized bag.

"Oh, thank you." Akko says in a slightly surprised tone, taking the gift.

"Hey, at least we don't have to worry about running out of power anymore." Amanda says, before waving at the silly little short fellow still positioned at the helm.

"Constanze!" The redhead calls.

The girls whose full name I still can't pronounce pulls the wheel into its proper position, before taking out her wand, and putting it in a hole. As if by magic, multiple wooden rods slide out of the wheel, allowing proper gripping when controlling this giant monster.

"Let the party begin!" Amanda eagerly shouts. "Let's go, Constanze!"

"Wait a minute!" Akko objects. "Lotte and Sucy aren't here yet."

"Lotte and Sucy?" Amanda asks, as if forgetting about those two's participation.

"They said they'd be here after dark." I remind her.

It's strange though. It is after dark and yet they haven't appeared.

"It's way past the time when we were supposed to meet." Jasminka points out.

"We can't really wait forever." Amanda adds.

Akko impatiently fidgets in place, before asking

"What if those boys come back?"

Amanda snorts at this, saying

"Nah, I've been in my fair share of fights. After Ted humiliated that big guy, I don't think we'll have to worry about them anymore."

"Like taking out the alpha of a wolf pact." I comment.

"Fine, we'll wait for a little bit. But, if those two are a no show, there's no point in waiting. Hey Ted, you said Lotte and Sucy will come at dark, right?" Amanda asks.

I nod to her question.

With that, everyone goes about their own thing. Constanze pulls out one of her electronics, playing with that, while Jasminka continues eating her chips. Amanda sits on the edge of the ship, her feet dangling over the side, and Akko continues to pace around, anxiously waiting for her two friends.

Finding my own way of passing the time, I pull out 'The Brink of Salvation'. As I opened it up, ready to ingest my daily bread of knowledge, I hear Amanda call out.

"Hey bud!"

Turning to her, I see her patting the edge of the float next to her.

"Come on, pop a squat right here." Amanda requests.

I put my book back, sitting down next to her.

Amanda looks me over, before asking with a grin

"So, how are you doin'?"

"I'm fine. How are you?"

Her grin grows into a smirk.

"Any Luna Nova ladies stealing your heart yet?" She asks, not answering my previous question.

The thought of my engagement with Diana flashes through my head. The hand holding, the smiles, and of course her signature.

"Nah, I don't think so." I say.

Amanda chuckles, pointing at my arm.

"Well, that's not what your cast says."

I hold up my arm, looking at the cast in question. The heart is definitely a brow raiser.

"Diana Cavendish..." Amanda ponders. "Who would've thought she was such a charmer?"

"She just signed my cast." I respond defensively.

"Just signed your cast? Bah, yeah right! A girl doesn't sign something with a heart unless you make her moist."

"Please, don't talk like that." I request.

"Just make sure Akko doesn't see that thing. We have enough room for problems without her screeching at you over your little forbidden love."

A brief pause floats through the air.

"So, how's your elbow? You really jammed it hard into that dude's face yesterday." She asks.

This again?

"It's fine, and I hope that kid isn't."

"Look out, we've got a badass here." Amanda jokes, raising her trembling hands as if to surrender.

I don't respond. Instead preferring to watch people as they walk by.

"Look man, you really laid into that kid. I'm sure your elbow of doom knocked a few teeth loose. Trust me, I know what it's like to take a hard one to the face." She jokes, winking at me.

At least she's joking about it.

"I have no regrets for my actions." I reply coldly, still staring off into the crowd.

Amanda frowns, sensing that comedy isn't really my thing and instead attempts seriousness.

"Look, I really don't care who you scrap with, just don't do it around me, okay? I don't want to be involved in that stuff."

When she first brought this subject up, I half expected her to let loose and yell like yesterday. This is a welcomed alternative. At least the air between us has now been cleared. Besides, why would I let those five unnamed and unwanted kids make me an enemy out of Amanda.

"Fair enough." I say, now looking back at her.

"Good." Amanda replies, her smile returning.

She digs into her satchel, pulling out a small green package labeled 'Kool'. I might not be a native born English speaker, but I'm pretty sure it's spelled with a 'C', not a 'K'.

To my surprise, Amanda pulls from the package a small white cylinder. Only when she puts it to her lips, do I know full well what's in her possession.

"Is that a cigarette?" I curiously ask, pointing at the object.

"Yeah." Amanda casually responds, lighting it. "Why? You wanna puff?"

She holds it out to me.

"Aren't you worried about getting caught?" I inquire her.

"Constanze and Jas already know about my guilty hobby, and as you can tell, they aren't exactly loudmouths."

She shrugs, saying

"Besides, we're almost adults. I can just say I'm eighteen."

Still a little hesitant, I say

"I'm sure this isn't new news to you, but smoking's bad for you."

"Being a wimp's even worse." She counters, still holding out her offering.

Peer pressure and my own curiosity getting the better of me, I accept, taking hold of the burning paper tube.

I eye the cigarette, the smoke flailing out, and disappearing into the nighttime air.

I push the cylinder between my lips, and take a drag.

My mouth begins to numb as the smoke takes full effect, clearing out my nostrils. This must be a menthol.

Once satisfied, I inhale, the smoke passing through my throat, into my lungs, then back out my mouth.

That was surprisingly smooth. I expected a bit of a coughing fit.

Confused, I look back at Amanda, hoping that she has some kind of answer to this anomaly.

It's a menthol, I definitely should've been hacking out a lung or two.

She thinks for a bit, before bursting out in laughter.

"Well no wonder! You've been hangin' around Sucy for too long. You're used to toxic chemicals!"

That's slightly worrying.

Amanda takes her cigarette back, taking another puff.

"Coming, not coming, coming, not coming..." I hear Akko repeat over and over.

Both of us turning to her, we see Akko holding a broom, ripping out a piece of straw, before saying her mantra, and repeating her actions, mimicking the 'He loves me, he loves me not' trope.

Ripping out each individual bristle on that broom? That's definitely going to take some time.

Amanda looks back at me, saying

"Well man, let's just hope those two get here soon. I'm tired of waiting."

"I'm sure they'll be here soon. I doubt Lotte is the one to lie."

"Yeah, yeah..." Amanda mutters, beginning to grow impatient.

She takes another drag.

"Why don't you pester Constanze for a bit? I like to deep think when I smoke." Amanda requests.

Understanding her plight, I nod, standing up.

Who doesn't love a good thought experiment?

I make my way to the silly little short fellow, walking up the steps to the helm of the ship.

I see her engaged in a videogame of some kind. It's like that old arcade starship game with the asteroids, but the ship itself is replaced by a witch. She seems to be really into it.

I walk up behind her.

"So, how's that game going?" I ask.

Without turning around, she gives me a quick thumbs up, before returning to her game.

Next to her is another control, one that's not plugged in and is currently idle.

So my options for passing the time are contracting second hand smoke from Amanda, playing a game with Constanze, trying to talk to Akko in her current panicked state, or listening to the sounds of Jasminka eating. Yeah, I think we have a clear winner.

"Mind if I join?" I ask, sitting down next to her.

Constanze looks at me, slightly surprised that I'd want to join her. Whether it's the idea of friendship, competition, or just her wanting me to shut up, she leaves her current game, before plugging in the new controller, and handing it to me. I'll take that as a yes.

As she starts up a new game, I eye in the corner her top score for this game, 146500. Yikes.

The game starts up, and immediately we're met with an obstacle. In front of our two characters, flying witches on brooms, a giant eye hovers in front of us. It throws two fireballs at the both of us. Constanze dodges her's, while my unfamiliarity of this game causes me to take the attack. My health bar drops from five to four.

So I guess the goal of this game is survival. To try to outlast your teammate in this one-sided game of dodgeball. Alright, challenge accepted.

Both of our characters buzz around the screen like gnats, bobbing and weaving our way through an endless map, trying not to get struck down by the eye's projectiles.

As if we entered a new level of difficulty, our opponent begins catapulting fireballs towards us at an alarming rate.

Constanze's character takes a dive to avoid one, but ends up slamming into another, all the while my character gets assaulted by two. Constanze's health has been dropped by one, while mine is now at two hearts.

Another volley of fire later, and our health is now even, both of us at one heart.

As the next level comes along, we grip our controllers in determination, both of us eager to wear down the other.

The eye appears once again, flinging fireballs in our direction. After my past experiments of trial and error, I've gotten fairly good at this game, as I dodge the attacks with almost as much agility as Constanze herself.

However, it doesn't matter, as I end up losing a few seconds later.

Constanze shoots me a little victorious smirk, something I've never quite seen before.

"Come on, best two out of three." I request.

As she goes to push the restart button, the whole ship sudden shifts to the left. As both of us lose our balance, Constanze grabs hold of the wheel, accidentally pressing a few buttons.

Pink fireworks blast out of a couple cannons, attracting the attention of the nearby celebrants.

"What are you doing?!" Amanda barks at Akko.

What did that girl do this time?

"What's going on?" One of the onlookers asks.

"Is the witch parade starting?" Another questions.

"Well, now we can't stall any longer." Amanda declares. "Come on let's go!"

We all quickly scramble, gathering up all the brooms into their previous positions, while Constanze takes her position at the wheel. I take my own position by the cannons, ready to rearm them with fireworks once the time comes, while Amanda stands in the center of the brooms, prepared to lead her wooden dance unit. Akko quickly puts on her witch hat, happily declaring to the audience

"Okay, it's starting, Luna Nova's witch parade! So let's all have a happy time!"

Akko readies her wand, declaring

"Flara Bina!"

Compartments on the sides of the ship that would normally house cannons open up. However, speakers are in their place, as they blare out a musical tune that I hear Akko humming often. The brooms burst into life, taking on the form of crude straw dolls. The ship rises like a hot air balloon, giving the illusion of seafaring on the sidewalk. This modern marvel of a parade float is emphasized by stage lights, making our ship highlighted in this huge festival.

"Here we go!" Akko declares.

The platform that Amanda stands on is elevated to great heights, the stages lights making her very obvious to the crowd. In rhythm to the music, Amanda begins dancing and flipping around through the air with great skill. Seriously, if she used half of this effort into her school work, she'd be on par with Diana and beyond.

The ships begins to slowly cruise through the road, fireworks exploding out of the cannons, the crowd loving every second of it.

"Wow, look up there!" I hear someone cry in reference to Amanda.

Another roar of fireworks later, and I load in the next shots, all the while Jasminka throws candy at the crowd. As Akko stated, this is truly a happy time.

However, even as we drift through town, the adoring shrieks of the crowd following, I can't help but feel like something's missing. Where's Diana?

While I'm sure she would've go back on her word, especially after that moment we shared, it still makes me wonder. No, she's here, her image is probably just lost in this endless sea of faces and cries.

Without time to think about this more, I busy myself, loading in another volley of fireworks, ready and waiting for whenever they may be needed. Amanda continues to dance, Jasminka continues to hand out treats, while the crowd continues to enjoy.

Our happy time is abruptly ended as screams begin to arise from the audience, not screams of delight, but screams of terror.

Like a record player being interrupted, our parade is grindes to a jolting halt.

"What's going on?" Amanda alarming shouts, flying down from her high rise.

We all turn our gaze towards the source of all the sudden chaos, spotting the statue that was once the tomato battleground from yesterday. The giant curved stones that once pointed at the sky, are now clenched in the shape of a fist, the wrist of the thing also visible. The whole things is surrounded by a red aura that reeks of dark magic.

"That's a..." Akko begins.

"It's a titan!" I hear someone declare.

Looking in the direction of the sound, I see Diana levitating stationary on a broom next to us.

"Huh?! Diana?!" Akko questions, equally confused by this situation.

"The titan The Great Witch Jennifer contained, resurrected because of Shiny Rod's energy!" Diana informs us.

Jennifer again? Why can't she just leave me alone?

"What?! A titan?!" Akko yells, her confusion replaced with fear.

The red aura begins to move away from the statue like snakes, and begins to embed itself in every inanimate object. Fire hydrants, the mayor's statue, telephone poles, cars, and even things like drumsticks and tea cups take on a life of their own. While some objects begin to attack the nearby people, others just parade through the streets. Multiple people already have their phones out, documenting this whole thing unfolding.

"What's going on here?" Someone asks.

"Something's not right." Another proclaims.

Yeah, that's a given. I can only wonder what this could mean. An old stone circle, dedicated to Jennifer the Witch, revealing its true nature as a titan after it was brought back by The Shiny Rod's energy, now giving life to consumer goods, and attacking people in the streets. I never would've believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes.

"You're attention!" I hear from another familiar voice from above.

As everyone, townsperson and witch included, looks up, we see a tiny image of Ms. Ursula on her broom, a conjurated pink megaphone allowing her voice to be heard.

"The legendary titan has been resurrected, the whole town is in danger because of black magic! But everything is going to be fine, the witches are going to protect us!"

"Oh, it was all apart of the parade as well." Someone in the crowd claims.

"It's just a show?" A female onlooker asks.

Let's hope that we can wrap this whole thing up before the townspeople wise up. It'll be just another reason for them to dislike us.

Ms. Ursula flies over to our parade float, whispering to Constanze and Jasminka

"Hey, I need you two to help me set the mood."

Constanze turns on the music speakers from before, as Jasminka points the stage lights at the stone hand.

The hand opens up, firing the same magic from before. The red tentacle like magic begins to fly in our direction.

"Oh no! If the titan gets The Shiny Rod, then it's all over!" Ms. Ursula informs us over her megaphone.

Although I would enjoy a more active role on her part, at least she's keeping us in the loop. So it's just a game of keep away?

The tentacles close the distance, slamming into the ship, and wrapping its appendages around the sides, like The Kraken.

Akko, holding The Shiny Rod, begins to freak out, running into me as I'm the closest to her.

"Ahhh! Quick, get us out of here!"

I grab one of the brooms previously used for the dancing. As I get myself onto it, Akko impatiently jumps onto my back like a frightened child, and it's not hard to see why.

The tentacles are now on the deck itself, slithering their way towards us.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry!" She urges me.

With Akko screaming in my ear, we both take off into the air, narrowly escaping their grasp.

The tentacles continue to follow us, cutting through the sky in an attempt to firmly grasp The Shiny Rod.

The flight itself is a slight strain on me, which is no surprise considering I haven't flown much, nor have I flown anyone besides Bruno. How much did he weight? Well, he was a dog, and thus weighed as much. I'm sure Akko weighs more than a dog.

"How much do you weigh?" I ask her.

"Are you calling me fat!?" She demands, my accidental insult making her forget about the impending danger at hand.

Do we really have time for arguments at a time like this?

"No, I'm-"

"You're calling me fat, aren't you?!" She screams, angrily swinging from side to side.

All of her commotion causes me lose control.

We both fall, the broom tumbling too far out of reach, falling closer and closer to the ground until my descent is suddenly halted.

"Just hold onto my hand." I hear.

Looking up, I see Diana, our hands locked, her hair blowing in the wind, as we continue to fly across the sky.

Still concerned about the safety of my previous passenger, I spot Akko continuing to fall, meer moments from being in the titan's hand's grasp, until someone new flies by, catching Akko in the nick of time. Even at such a great distance, I can tell clearly who Akko's savior is. It's Sucy!

So, it looks like she's finally made it. But what about Lotte? I don't see her anywhere.

With Akko now safe, I turn my attention back to Diana.

"Well, looks like you've saved me once again. Thank you Diana." I say, smiling at her.

"No problem, I wasn't about to let you fall to your death. You're too special to me." She replies.

"And if I wasn't?" I joke, as she pulls me up onto her broom.

I wrap my arms around Diana, holding onto her, as we continue to fly. Well this is nice.

Whatever the reunion between Akko and Sucy was like, it ends with her losing her grip on The Shiny Rod. As if falls, a group of creatures wait below to grab it.

Not wasting a moment, Diana quickly flies us by, me catching the rod before the creatures could.

"Nice catch." Diana complements me.

Now that the rod is in our possession, the dark magical tentacles from before now focus their attention onto us.

"Hold tight!" Diana orders.

We soar through the sky, the tentacles gaining on us quickly.

One comes at us from the left, and Diana responds by throwing us to the right. Another comes from above, and we plunge down, barely avoiding our heads from being swiped. Damn, that was a close one. If it weren't for the fact that Diana is piloting, that would've given me a scare.

"Hey Ted, pass it!" I hear Amanda, riding her broom next to us, demands.

I throw it at her. She catches it, flying with skill as the tentacles now target her.

Diana flies us to the outer side of the square, a safe place to watch this whole thing unfold.

"Close your eyes, old earth." An almost angelic voice utters from the sky.

Who could be singing such beauty in this destructive setting?

The whole square is brought to a dead calm, as everyone and everything turns their undivided attention to the singing witch on the broom, to Lotte.

"Rains down flowers, pretty and white. Passing down peace with the tenderest look. Mother's kindness moves our soul. Softly it will move. Softly it will move."

As Lotte concludes her sonata, she raises her wand in the air, casting a blue spell that lightly flashes through the possessed things. The animated inanimate objects, begin to lose control, falling over as if struck dead. Individual blue spirits appear out of the objects before slowing burning away. All is now quiet.

"Lotte!" I hear Akko cry out, running over to the Finn as she lands.

"Akko!" She responds.

"Lotte!" Akko repeats, the two meeting up in the middle of the square.

"I'm sorry, I know I'm really late." Lotte politely apologizes.

Akko becomes timid, rubbing her thumbs together, while staring at the ground in shame.

"Lotte...you know what, uh I..."

"It took time to make it by hand, huh?" Sucy asks, joining her two dorm mates.

"Make it by hand?" Akko confusingly asks.

Lotte pulls out a mock Shiny Chariot hat, the materials looking very familiar. What a second...is that the bear I gave her?! Is that what she meant when she said she 'already knows what to do with it.'?

Lotte puts the handmade hat onto Akko's head, saying

"I know the reason why you wanted to become a witch. It was because you saw Shiny Chariot's magic, and she cast a spell on you when you were little, right? That's why I think you should have this-"

Akko bursts out crying, blubbering like a baby, and embracing Lotte in a tight hug.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I was only thinking about myself, I never thought about your feelings!"

She continues to cry on her shoulder.

"There there." Lotte says in a comforting voice, lightly returning her hug. "But because of that, you can do some stuff that I could never do. You don't look back, and you have unwavering determination. It's what makes you you."

Sucy joins in, gently grabbing Akko by the shoulder, smiling all the while. Akko responds by slinging one of her arms around her, now hugging both of them.

Touched by this moment, Jasminka grabs her two dorm mates in a bear hug, much to their shock.

I look over at Diana, or I guess the only part I can see, being her back and blonde hair. I wonder if she wants to hug? I guess I practically am right now, holding onto her for safety, and all.

Amidst all this love and happiness, the ground begins to shake and crack. I'm glad I'm up here.

"What's happening?!" Someone questions.

"What was that?!" Another adds.

"W-what is it this time?" Akko stutters out, wiping away her fresh tears.

The ground completely explodes, chunks of cement and parade procurements flying everywhere. From this newly created hole emerges another hand, this one being completely skeletal as compared to the stone fist from before. Both hands grab at the ground, the owner

The sidewalk debris, as well as chairs, cars, tables, and many other items levitate to the creature, morphing into a layer of protection, effectively making it an armored titan.

It emanates a threatening roar, like a lion warning a trespasser on his territory.

"Ahhh! The increasingly horrifying titan has completely awakened!" I hear from Ms. Ursula, returning to her magically conjurated megaphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please step back and enjoy from a safe distance!"

Taking initiative, Diana casts a yellow transparent curtain of magic between the crowd and the titan.

"Now the town's fate is in the hands of the three witches! Join hands, and defeat the wrath of the titan!"

Does she meet Amanda, Constanze, and Jasminka? I don't think those three are qualified for such a task.

"What?! She's leaving it all to us?!" Akko questions.

Oh, she means Akko and her gang.

I wish I was there with them. It just feels wrong sitting here with my hands folded, while others risk themselves. Damn, I hate being a minor character in my own story. But how are they going to defeat that thing?

"Luna Lana!" Ms. Ursula bellows from her megaphone. "The spell that generates great power when the witch's souls are in complete harmony! That's Luna Lana!"

Oh yeah, that spell that Diana and Ms. Finnalin used to defeat that mushroom monster from class. That would do it.

Akko, Lotte, and Sucy hold their wands together, saying with passion

"Ein Ein Sof! Ein Sof Ohr! Luna Lana!"

Red, purple, and green magic collectively burst out of their wands, wrapping around the titan like rope.

It struggles to break free, its own black magic beginning to overwhelm the witches. A thick, oil like magic covers the witch's beautiful colors, growing until it almost consumes the three.

The townspeople erupt in cheers, chanting, yelling, and screaming their words of encouragement at their last hopes. Amanda and Jasminka join in, while Constanze blows on a trumpet.

"Believing is your magic!" I cry out, adding to the already overwhelming amount of good wishes being sent their way.

"Hang in there, girls!" Diana shouts, before covering her mouth, embarrassed by her own outburst.

"Oh no, the witch's seem to be in trouble!" Ms. Ursula communicates on her magical megaphone. "Please, lend them a hand, you need to be united together to believe in them!"

As if the very utterance of encouragement is a magic in and of itself, blue wisps of magic begin to emerge from the cheering crowd, adding themselves into the witchs' wands, giving their magical energy more power.

The black magic begins to lose ground, as it's forced back, the two opposing side's magic meeting in the middle. A huge ball of pure white magic holds the tide of evil. Even with this newly acquired victory, the cheers don't stop.

Through sheer muscle mass, the titan breaks free from this magical stalemate, raising one of its giant fists, punching the ball.

It explodes, the blinding light causing everyone to avert their eyes, or risk certain damage. I hide my face behind Diana, while she covers hers with a hand.

"Macmur Micmur Mactoral!" I hear from the fading light.

All three are wearing white witch outfits now, floating in the air, probably an effect of direct contact with the magical explosion.

"Come out, the bow of light!"

As Akko calls this out, a giant crossbow is summoned, Sucy and Lotte at each end of the bow stave, while Akko holds the trigger, the look of determination pounded into every crack and wrinkle of their faces. They're going to end this now.

"Shiny Ballista!" Akko begins.

The titan holds up the fist once more, readying another punch, screaming all the while.

"Fire!"

They fire. The hallowed bolt thunders through the air. As it is about to make contact with the fist, it changes directions, wrapping around the arm, before impaling it in the heart.

Gray smoke escapes from the creature, as the evil energy is burned out. Crippled and defeated, it falls, lightly crashing on the ground, a thumb in its mouth. Is it sleeping?

Either way, the titan is defeated, and people cheer like mad. They bellow, and cry, overwhelming relief flooding their very being, the only comparison being Trump's presidential inauguration.

"We did it!" Akko proudly yells.

With the cheers now directed at the parade's end, and not as a tool of encouragement, the advanced magic the three have found themselves using becomes underfunded, canceling their levitation.

Before they have time to fall for even a second, they get caught by the others on their brooms, Jasminka by Lotte, Akko by Amanda, and Sucy by Constanze. Amanda coolly catches The Shiny Rod, not even taking her eyes off of Akko.

Diana lets out a sigh of relief, happy that all this madness is finally over.

Despite myself not having a direct hand in the titan's takedown, I can't help but feel a surge of pride for probably the wrong reason. Not pride in the titan's defeat, but the fact that it took a ballista to knock it down. A ballista! Of course it was a Roman weapon that saved the day!

The three sets of witches fly by the crowd, cheers accompanying their every move.

"Thank you! Thanks so much!" Akko replies.

With a sudden huff, Diana flies us over to the six witches.

"Akko! I have never seen such disgraceful magic." Diana replies scoldingly, before continuing with a softer, but still upset tone. "You created a more advanced spell than I did, and yet you ruined it."

We fly off, before Akko can formulate a proper responds.

"Did I detect a ting of jealousy?" I joke.

If I can see her face, I imagined she just rolled her eyes.

"Oh please, what on Earth do I have to be jealous of?"

Akko and the others land, the crowd surrounding them, clapping, whistling, and shouting compliments.

"What do you say? Would you girls be up for an encore?" Akko jokingly asks, waving at the fans.

Huh, all this admiration, all this love and respect for us, for witches. Whether they still believe that we just performed an elaborate parade for their entertainment, or know that we just saved their life, property, and family matters little. The cheers are still real, still full of life and good wishes onto us, something that I would've never expected. Maybe, just maybe, the town is finally starting to warm up to us.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Well, finally. After a year and many hours of late night typing, wishing I could die, we have finally gotten through the two movies. I'd like to thank you all for this wonderfull time, and wild ride. It's been a story, but sadly a story that has come to an end. Goodnight, fillies and gentlecolts, I must hang up this coat.**

 **Gotcha! Nah, don't worry, this story will continue with as much power and gusto as before, probably more. I'm talking new arcs, new characters, new villains, and finally Theodore being shipped with someone. The moment you people have been screeching for.**

 **But, if you want to see all these new arcs as soon as possible, make sure to follow and favorite me, not forgetting to leave a comment of course. Come on people, only one away from half a hundred, and then only half a hundred away from a hundred. Don't you want to join** _ **The Notification Squad**_ **? Only the coolest kids in the cul-de-sac join. You know it's cool because it's italicised, as well as the words are capitalized.**

 **Also, are you sick and tired of decaying around in your room waiting for me to update this awful fanfiction? Then check out this guy WaywardBot, who also makes a gary sue, boy goes to an all girls school, LWA, harem fanfiction.**

 **And of course, I'm contractually obligated to respond to the man, the myth, the legend of Nightcore Miku.**

" **Truly, he was a great loss to society. I thank you for your hospitality and willingness to trust me. Now, how about we celebrate our new found friendship with a trip to your high school. We'll have a fun time. ;)"**

 **Sure man, I have a history test on Wednesday, and I haven't studied yet.**


	23. My Beeloved

**Author's Note: Hey this is Dan, and welcome back to Real Cig Review. Well boys, we did it. Thanks to these amazing people joining** _ **The Notification Squad**_ **, we have gotten past half a hundred, and are on our way to a full hundred.**

 **Naturally, this is due to my avid and loyal followers who have sold their soul to me for the promise of nothing. But, while I can't provide you with any sweet merch, I can respond to your comments.**

' **If I had known you had shipped Ted X Sucy, I would have shipped it too.'**

 **I really don't ship anyone with anyone. When I watch a show, or read a story I don't focus on every little thing that happens between characters, and subscribe my life to making those two a couple. When I first started writing this story, Theodore was originally going to be with Sucy. But as the story progress, I realized that those two wouldn't be the best match, and decided on another one.**

' **Nice work!**

 **Been reading since the 19th chapter.**

 **The story is interesting and its honestly the only thing keeping me alive lol.**

 **I have one request,pls ship dianaxtheodhore**

 **One of my favorite ships ever.**

 **Signed**

 **The future president'**

 **Well, you heard it here folks. Not only has my fanfiction saved a life, but it's also loved by the future president. And what do you know, he's a Diana X Theodore guy.**

 **Also, do you boys and girls remember how in the episode where Akko went inside of Sucy's dream world, there were all those different Sucys that the real Sucy was trying to suppress. Remember how in the court scene, one of the Sucys said that all she wanted was a boyfriend? And remember when Akko saved all those Sucys from execution?**

 **Does this mean that Sucy is straight confirmed? Every Sucy pairing is now invalid.**

 **Now, are you guys like me? Have you ever found yourself on the brink of suicide because you couldn't find the Little Witch Academia manga? Well my children, I was doing my daily ritual of reading Sucy's wiki page twenty times a day, when I made a shocking discovery. If you scroll down to the comments' section, somepony posted a link to the manga.**

 **And as the pillar of strength and moral ethics that I am in this fandom, I will give you all my pro reviews for each chapter.**

 **Chapter One: #LennyDidNothingWrong**

 **Chapter Two: Theodore was right next to me reading on, and when the old man grabbed Diana's badonkadonk, he screamed in my ear**

" **Nobody grabs my woman like that!"**

 **And then I told him to shut up, and that the two of them aren't in a relationship yet. He hung himself, and now his body's beginning to stink. Anyone want it? Just post your address, send a copy of your house key, and tell me when your parents aren't home.**

 **Chapter Three: Who else wants to have a threesome with Sucy's sisters?**

 **Chapter Four: The weakest chapter, seriously there was something fishy about the whole thing**

 **Let me get serious here for a second, my adoring fans. In any fandom, people always love and adore the fanart boys, the fan animators, and even the fanfiction writers. But a part of the fandom that people tend to forget about is probably one of the most important. I'd like to thank the boys, girls, and attack helicopters that have worked a hard and thankless job creating the wiki page. Shout out to Juanito316, who seems to have done the vast majority of the work on the site. Keep up the good work you guys.**

* * *

In the early hours of the morning, I sit by the table in my dorm room.

Putting it lightly, last night was definitely a night to remember, and then some. After months of preparation, drama, and hype the parade is finally over. Here in a flash, but certainly not gone without a trace.

Sure, watching Akko, Lotte, and Sucy defeat a mighty titan through sheer willpower alone is something unforgettable, but another memory of that night will never leave my mind.

Diana Cavendish signing my cast, not only that, but even decorating it with a little heart.

What could this mean? While the obvious answer would be that she's developed a crush on me, I don't want to jump to any conclusions.

I mean, she's smart, dependable, dare I say, beautiful...

Ugh! What if I'm the one with the crush?!

I remember my very own reaction when Diana grabbed my by the arm, her voice brushing against my neck as she taught me a spell. Then there was when Diana found me in the woods, and provided me with comfort. But that can be dismissed as just a friendly act, nothing romantic there.

But of course, there was what happened yesterday. Her signing my cast with a heart, how she held my hand, us staring at each other. That says something.

I can't say for certain what I'm feeling, and definitely not what she's feeling, but in these months that I've known Diana, I've felt more comfortable with her than most people I've come to know here.

Returning to what I was previously doing, I pick up a pair of scissors, holding it up to my casted, soon to be uncasted, hand.

Well, nurse PagetDaPanda did say that all it needed was to be cut off, no special medical procedures required. Same goes for the bandages on my face, just take it off as it is, like a bandaid.

I begin cutting at the goss, exposing more and more of my right arm.

I stop as I note the pale skin tone, contrasting with my normal light tan. Expected, considering it hasn't been exposed to sunlight in months. It'll come back in a few weeks. I also notice that my casted arm has shrunk in thickness. Also expected, considering I haven't put it to as much use as normal. Like the color, it'll return normal in size eventually.

But what won't return to normalcy is what's stopping me from making these final cuts. I haven't thought about it much, as it's always been out of sight and out of mind. In a few minutes, probably seconds, however, it will embrace the light of day.

I continue snipping away at the cloth, until the wrap has been completed cut down the middle. A bit hesitantly, I unravel the goss from my arm, revealing the final product.

Spreading from my lower fingers to my underarm is light, reddish brown scarred tissue. As it runs down my arm, it breaks into smaller wisps, somewhat resembling the roots of a tree.

It's an ugly imperfection that I'll have to live with for the rest of my life, a constant reminder of what took place.

I clench my fingers together in a fist, the leathery skinned fingers lagging behind the normal ones. I open my hand, feeling tension as the damaged skin has lost its elasticity.

At least it's not that noticeable when looking at me face to face. But if someone took a glance from behind, they would get the full picture.

But of course, if someone in the near future was looking at me face to face, they wouldn't worry about my burnt hand, but rather the condition of my face. A condition of which I rather not, but eventually will have to see.

Truth be told, I've postponed this unveiling not because I haven't had the time, but because I'm nervous to see the results for myself.

I have no knowledge to the extent of permanent damage that whip wounds would sustain, magical whip wounds at that. But, it will be something that I will find out soon.

I don't like the feeling of these bandages constantly on my face. It'll be nice to expose them to the fresh air of the outside world.

I hold up a handheld mirror with my recently freed arm, and with the other I grab the end of one of the bandaids.

With one quick action, I tear the bandage off. Without focusing on the mirror, I continue to remove the final bandaid until my face is finally reclaimed.

With all the bandages, from both face and arm, sitting in a pile on my desk, I glance at the mirror, revealing my facial scars.

It's not as noticeable as the burn mark, but it's still clear. A thin, brown line cuts into my skin, running parallel with my left eyebrow. The second and final one runs down my left cheek.

Not as badass as Amanda promised, but at least I can breathe and rest well, finally knowing full well what damage Mendacius inflicted onto me.

So, I have a burn mark running down my right arm, and two scars decorating my face.

Again I ask, how will I explain this to my mother?

With no more need for these bandages, I scoop them up, walking over to the trashcan.

I toss the two butterfly bandages no problem, but as I'm about to throw away the arm bandage, I spot the signature of Diana, completed with the heart.

Well, I just can't put this in the same container as garbage.

Returning to my desk, I grab the pair of scissors. I cut a circle around the signature, freeing it from the rest of the goss.

I place the cloth carefully inside my drawer, closing it. There we go, for safe keeping.

* * *

In front of the school, laying on a field of grass, myself and the others watch Akko attempt her flight magic. She's been at it for about two hours now with about as much success as you'd expect.

A stone path leads the way from the school to the nearby town. Often, students walk through here, departing school for their family and Christmas vacation. Akko doesn't notice the occasional witch passing by, casting glances at us. Some look confused by Akko's behavior, while most try to stifle their own laughter. It's a bit embarrassing, but hey, I promised Akko I'd try to help her.

"Did you see me?! Did you see me?!" Akko asks in the same manner an excited child would when showing her dad something.

"Yeah, good job Akko. You managed to jump an extra foot from last time." I say, mustering up fake praise for the aspiring witch.

"You still haven't flown yet." Sucy points out.

"Whatever!" Akko grunts defensively. "You heard Ted, I got an extra foot in the air! That's an extra foot closer to touching the sky!"

"You're just jumping." Amanda declares. "At this rate you'll have crazy strong calves, but nothin' else."

"Maybe you should try something else." Jasminka suggests.

Constanze nods in agreement.

"All of you are mean!" Akko proclaims, hurt in her voice.

"Come on, lighten up." Amanda says, relaxing on the cool grass. "It's all in good fun."

"It's always fun watching Akko squirm." Sucy says to me, smiling.

Akko blows up.

"If I keep going at it, I know I'll succeed one day! I'll fail and I'll fail, but I'll learn and just keep getting better. One day I will be just as good as Chariot!"

"You, Lotte, and Sucy were able to use Luna Lana, the most difficult synthesizing spell." I point out. "I'm sure with practice you'll only get better. Try it again."

"Alright! Check this out!" Akko passionately cries out, returning to her cheerful self.

As Akko continues with her 'broom practice', Amanda looks at me.

"Sucks that Lotte had to leave early." She says.

"At least she gets to see her family for Christmas break." I respond.

"What about you? You're always talking about Rome and family, and stuff. I would've guessed you'd be the first to go home."

That's a fair point.

"I'm not sure. I would've thought they'd try to contact me by now."

Amanda is physically taken back by this.

"Are you saying you haven't spoken with them since school started?!"

I nod.

"Not even writing letters?"

"Not even writing letters."

"Damn." She sighs, leaning back down on the grass. "Even I have kept in touch with the folks. I'll be coming home in a few days."

"You're from America, right?" I ask.

"Uh huh."

"Hey you two." Sucy says from behind us, the slightest tone of excitement in her voice. "Look over there."

Following her pointing finger, we both see what has caused her pleasure.

On the grass near us lays a rose, and on that rose lays something else.

A yellow and black insect with strangely feminine features and a red heart on its giant stinger. It could comfortably fit in the palm of someone's hand. It continues to dig itself into the rose, pollinating it.

"It's a bee." Amanda casually says.

"Not just any bee, a cupid bee." Sucy responds.

I've never heard of that magical creature before.

"What's that?" I ask.

"If you get stung by the bee, you immediately fall in love with the first person you see. The only cure is to crush the bee." Sucy explains, a grin on her face as she does so.

"Sounds like just the thing for you and Diana." Amanda jests, playfully winking at me.

As my thoughts from this morning come back, I feel my face growing warm.

"Diana's great and all, but-"

"Don't try to hide it, Scarface." Sucy joins in. "Amanda told me all about her and your cast."

"Don't call me that. Please, just stick to the nose jokes." I beg.

As Sucy opens her mouth, probably about to tell a nose joke, another voice interrupts us.

"You weren't even watching!"

All three of us turn our direction to the shrill voice.

We see Akko standing before us, tightly gripping her broom, as she grits her teeth in rage. Sweat drips from her brow, implying that she just put a great amount of exertion into her practice, a practice that I wasn't paying attention to.

"Ted's self conscious about his scars." Sucy quickly lies, saving herself from Akko's wrath. "We were just comforting him."

Believing this, Akko's face immediately softens. She looks at me concerned, and says in a soft voice.

"Don't feel like we think any less of you. Look."

Akko takes off a boot and sock, exposing her bare foot. She points to a grayish mark, saying

"It's a scar from falling out of a tree while practicing."

She then points at her thigh.

"This one's from when I fell and tumbled down a hill."

She then holds out her elbow.

"And this one's from falling off my roof."

"Well, you can't fly without a Sorcerer's Stone." Sucy explains. "The energy emitting from the one we have at school is why we can use magic freely."

"I mean, of course I understand that now." Akko claims, putting her boot back on. "But how was I supposed to know when I was a kid?"

"Well, you could've looked it up." Amanda rationalizes.

"And what is that supposed to mean?!" Akko demands, shoving her face close to Amanda's.

"You always jump into things, and never stop to think. Face it, your head is as empty as the sky that you'll never touch."

Oh Lotte, if only you were here right now. This argument would've never escalated this far.

Unnerved and visibly hurt by that sick roast, Akko grinds her teeth, fists tightly balled, faced red with anger, about to explode under her rapidly inflating rage.

"Mails here!" Something calls out, breaking the tension.

The anger and chatter stops, as we all turn to the creator of this silence.

One of the school elfs has its arm extended, a burlap sack tightly clenched in its little blue fist.

"Oh, thank you." Akko says, taking the bag.

With its job done, the elf walks away, probably to give more mail to the other witches.

Akko sits the sack on the grass before opening it up, peeking inside.

"Oh wow, it's a bunch of letters!" She exclaims, holding out a wad of them.

Akko looks through them, saying

"We've got one for Amanda, Constanze, Jasminka, Sucy, Ted, and myself." She says, uttering each name as she passes it to the owner.

"Alright, a letter from the folks!" Amanda declares, opening her envelope up.

"Mine's also from my family." Jasminka claims.

As I'm about to look over my own, I hear Amanda mutter

"Don't look now Ted, but your girlfriend is over there."

Following her pointed finger, I spot Diana, accompanied by Hannah and Barbara, all three walking the path.

"She's not my girlfriend." I reply.

"Go say hi to her." Amanda recommends. "After all, big boys say hi."

Yeah, I think I'd like to say hi to Diana. It's Christmas Vacation after all, so it's likely that I won't see her again until the second semester begins. Besides, I'm no longer wearing my cast and bandages. She probably wants to see the new me.

I stand up, putting my letter of unknown origins in my satchel.

Looking over at the others, most are busy reading their letters, while Amanda just smirks at me, her ship of Diana and I circumnavigating the globe.

Akko however is glaring at Diana, letter clenched in her hands, as she stares down her self proclaimed rival.

I really don't want to deal with this.

"Just read your letter, Akko." I request.

With a low growl, she eventually obliges, returning to her past activity.

I get up, leaving my companions, and walking in front of Diana and her two friends.

Upon seeing me, Diana smiles. She glances at my face and arm, before saying

"Good morning, Theodore. It seems as though you've had your bandages removed."

I return her smile with my own.

"Yes, I did. I took them off this morning."

Hannah leans over to Barbara, a smirk on her face.

"He should've left them on." She whispers to her friend.

"Yeah, now we can see his gross face." Barbara agrees, nodding and smiling.

My past smile is replaced with a frown.

Honestly, did I do something to those two?

Diana shoots a glare at the two, causing their smiles to disappear as well.

Diana returns her gaze to me, another smile spread across her face.

"Well, scars or no scars, you're still the most attractive guy at this school."

My smile returns as both of us repeat the same activity as yesterday.

We both gaze into each other's eyes, smiling at each other all the while.

Diana, well she definitely is something. Smart, beautiful, and kind, a lady of any man's dream. Perhaps she's the lady of my dreams, as well.

Strangely enough, I feel something move on the back of my neck, accompanied by a faint sort of buzzing.

I inquisitively move my hand to my neck, feeling for the cause of this slight discomfort.

Maybe it's a fly. But a fly in the winter is definitely an anomaly.

A sudden jolt of blinding pain flashes through me.

I lose all control, collapsing to the ground, one hand on my neck, and the other holding myself up.

"Oh my, are you alright?!" Diana cries out in distress.

"Yeah, you gonna die on us, or what?" I hear Hannah apathetically asks.

I try to respond, but all that comes out is a hoarse gasp.

Damn it, what was that?! Did Amanda shoot me with a pellet gun, or something?!

With physical exhaustion, I manage to pull myself back to my feet.

I lose my voice once again, but not because of any confused pain, but because of the angelic being standing in front of me, blinding me with her beauty.

I stare at the specimen before me. Picasso and Michelangelo spent their whole lives creating beauty, but what stands before me now deserves a Renaissance in and of itself.

That heavenly brown hair, and those enchanting eyes...

"Surely you could not be human, but a living depiction of Aphrodite herself." I say passionately to the lady of my dreams.

"What?" Hannah responds, both of her perfectly shaped eyebrows raised in question.

I roughly bump the blonde girl to the side, grabbing hold of the heavenly Hannah's untainted hand.

"I have been indoctrinated under your regime of grace. May I be a demagogue of your divinity?"

"Let go of me, you freak!" She demands, attempting to yank her hand free from my grasp.

I squeeze harder, and with blind emotion, shout

"You are an angel, cast from heaven, for your looks created jealousy even inside of God! I shall strip all other idols from existence, for you are the closest representation of divinity-"

My true feelings come to an end, as Hannah's free hand strikes me across the face.

I'm left in shock, as Hannah grabs her friend, and runs back the way she came.

"No, my love, wait!" I call out.

How could this be?! An angel of light appears before my eyes, only to flee at my confession?! Oh woe is me, can I ever find such a creature outside of her?!

No, she is one of a kind. She is a true rarity that has captured my full attention with nothing but her gazing eyes.

I collapse to the stone floor, staring at the ground in sadness and shame.

"What...was...that?" I hear Diana ask, confusion laced in her voice.

I don't blame her. After all, it's not every day someone finds their soulmate. But when your soul mate doesn't see you as an equal? That's a true sorrow.

"What's going on here?!" I hear Akko demand, her and the others now upon us.

She spots me moping on the ground.

"What did you do to him, Diana?!" Akko demands, throwing herself at the blonde in her self proclaimed avenging.

Amanda grabs her at the last second, holding her back, as Akko continues to struggle, clawing the air, shouting obscenities.

"It was the Cupid Bee." Sucy reveals.

"The what?!" Everyone questions in unison, Akko stopping her attempted assault.

"Long story short, Ted got himself stung by a magic bee. Now he's fallen in love with Hannah." Sucy explains, a faint smirk growing on her face.

A magic bee? No, I've always loved Hannah. It's only now that I've realized it for myself.

"Whaaat?!" Akko cries cries out in confusion.

"Is there any way to reverse it?" Diana pleads.

"Yeah, you just have to crush the bee."

"Alright!" Akko declares, now taking charge. "Sucy and Jasminka, you two stay with Ted. Make sure he doesn't pull anymore Romeo stuff."

"Okay." Jasminka mumbles out through her filled mouth.

Sucy cracks a grin, saying

"Oh, don't you worry. We'll take good care of him."

"Alright." Akko confirms before looking back at the others. "The rest of us find that bee, and kill it!"

As they're about to move out, Diana speaks up.

"I'm going too."

Akko spins around, aggressively answering

"No way, Diana! You'll just get in the way!"

The blonde folds her arms across her chest, saying

"Theodore's my friend as well. In fact, I believe he's more fond of me than you."

"What did you say..." Akko growls, before once again lunging at Diana.

Once again, Amanda holds her back in a full nelson, saying

"Come on Akko, we need all the help we can get. Besides, she's kinda right."

Akko stops struggling, and with a heavy sigh mutters

"Fine, I guess you can come. Just don't get in the way."

"I believe that's my line." Diana poshly postures, joining the group.

After a minute or two of debate, they split up into two groups. Amanda and Diana go one way, while Akko and Constanze go the other.

As they leave me in the hands of Sucy and Jasminka, I hear Akko shout

"Constanze, if you see anything, yell up!"

I spot the silly little short fellow shoot a glare at her incompetent partner.

"Oh yeah, right. I forgot." Akko sheepishly responds.

As they fan out in their groups, I continue to stare at the ground, sadness weighing heavy on my heart.

What's wrong with me? I managed to scare off an beautiful, perfect, flawless angel with my own obsession. True love will always find a way, but why does the way have to hurt so much?

I'm cut off as a pale hand flashes in front of my face.

Looking up, I see Sucy, a hand outstretched, willing to lift me off the ground.

"Come on Ted, let's hook you up with Hannah." Sucy agrees, a smile on her face.

Whether it's a sadistic smirk, or a compassionate smile is hard to tell.

Does it matter? Any suggestions would be much appreciated in my pursuit of passion.

I swear, on this day forth, I shall rule over the very foundation of love itself, and Hannah will be my queen!

"But I thought we were supposed to keep those two apart." Jasminka objects.

Sucy points a thumb at me, saying

"I thought you wanted friends to be happy."

Once Jasminka sees the newfound determination in my eyes, she sighs, muttering

"Okay, fine."

With the okay given, Sucy pulls out her wand, points it to the ground, saying

"uoyekilt'nodI."

A green smoke slowly clouds out of her wand, manifesting into a bubble on the ground.

After a few seconds of the cloud churning, it begins to slowly evaporate away, leaving behind a pair of solid white high heels.

"Hannah is the type of girl that's into fashion. Women like to feel similarity within their partner, they like to be comfortable around their... _lover_ , so put these on."

I pick up the shoes, looking at them hesitantly.

"You want her to be comfortable around you, don't you?" Sucy asks, egging me on.

"More than anything." I answer truthfully.

"Then put on the heels."

Well, if it's for the goddess Hannah, then how could I ever hope to protest, and not even ponder suicide a second later?

I take off my Luna Nova issued boots, strapping on the high heels.

I try to stand up, propping myself up with a nearby bench.

"Oh dear..." I hear Jasminka whisper.

Upon viewing me, Sucy cracks a smile, chuckling with her hand, before saying

"Okay, okay, nice. Now that you've got those on you're relatable to Hannah."

These shoes do feel strange on me. Never before would I think I'd wear this. But of course, never before did I think an angel of love would ever grace me.

"She went that way." Sucy informs me, pointing back towards the school. "Go and bug her. The two of us will stand at a distance watching."

"I don't like this." Jasminka adds.

Ignoring her, I turn back to where Sucy was pointing.

So, Hannah's there?

I feel my heart flutter at the endless possibilities of confession.

Just think, in that building where I've resided for months now, a creature whose beauty could only be described in fables, dwells. Only now have I fully realized this.

True happiness awaits. And thanks to the kindness of Sucy, that dream will come to life sooner than otherwise.

I take my first few steps, struggling all the while.

My legs wobble as the stilts of the shoes make contact with the pavement. Damn these heels, how do girls manage this?

After a few more steps, I slip, falling flat on the ground.

I don't know, maybe these high heels just aren't for me.

I look back at the two girls, an idea of discarding the shoes on my mind.

Through a badly hidden smile, Sucy replies

"The more you work for something, the more valuable it is to you. You think Hannah's valuable, right?"

That's a stupid question.

"She's worth more gold, jewels, and slaves that could ever hope to flow through Rome."

Sucy forces back another laughing session. Biting her lip, she whispers

"Go get her."

With Sucy's approval, I persevere through this pain, pursuing my one true love.

With only a few trips, and a couple of minor falls, I make my way through the path, and back into the school.

After wandering through the empty halls, I enter the field, eyes forever vigilant for this cryptic creature.

I finally spot my love sitting with Barbara on a bench.

Upon viewing her majesty once more, I'm struck in a dead calm. All I can do is gaze upon the beautiful beast that has put a hex on the entire school with a simple flash of her smile. I am a slave to her voice, and a prophet of her features.

"So, you gonna seal the deal, or what?" I hear Sucy ask from behind, her and Jasminka shadowing me from a distance.

"I-I can't move." I reply. "I'm frozen in a trance. The siren Hannah has sealed me away in a trap of love. I'm forever bounded by the idea of her and I. The only thing that scares me more than death is the thought of living my life unfulfilled, without a purpose. And right now my purpose is to swoon the great and honorable Hannah with my own message of our mutual destiny. However, I fear that I may croak, for I cannot bear to approach her directly, in fear of blinding myself with her own brilliance."

Sucy can no longer hold in her laughter, and let's it run wild.

"Dang, I need to record this, or something. You're a real riot!" She gleefully laughs out.

I wonder what she's so guffaw about? True love isn't a laughing matter, you know?

"You've come this far already." Sucy points out, now calmed down back to her standard stoic self. "What about love, and all that other junk you were talking about?"

Still hesitant, the goddess Hannah's influence knows no end on my soul.

Sucy grows a bit impatient by my growing nerves.

"Remember, if all else fails, sing to her. Women like a musical guy. And make it about you, as well. Confidence is a winner."

With this new founded advice, my discouragement is casted aside.

I walk over to the two, my chest puffed out in determination.

She will be mine!

Upon viewing me, they show feeling that resemble anything but friendliness.

"What are you doing here?" Hannah demands.

"And are you wearing high heels?" Barbara questions.

Too many questions! How will I answer them, and still be able to connect the dots to my love. No, remember what Sucy said, 'Confidence is a winner.'

"This spark of passion will soon turn into a burning flame of love. Our intimacy is hot to the touch. But don't worry, I'll protect you from the heat with my embrace."

Unamused at my attempts, Hannah simply says

"Go away, or I'll cry rape."

This isn't going the way I thought.

Remembering Sucy's advice further, I clear my throat, and sing

"I'm the T, to the H, to the E, the O, the D, other O, R, E, and ain't no other body slinging spells like me. I'm Theolicious."

"Edgylicious." I hear Sucy silently sing from her hiding place behind me.

Hannah lets out a deep sigh of angry annoyance, before getting up out of her seat, Barbara following close behind.

Hannah shoves her face close to mine, hands on her hip, and a scowl on her face.

"You're lucky your friends with Diana, or I swear I'd..."

She stops herself, turning her back to me, arms crossed, before saying with malice

"I swear I'd kill you."

Without any further word, the two of them walk off, whispering to themselves all the while.

What is this?! My own concubine wishes nothing but ill will onto me!

Fate has brought our aching hearts together, but it is her herself that desires our separation!

Alas, if only I could express myself to Hannah in such a way that she will be moved by my speech, and cast away all other contacts, living a life full of carefree love and happiness!

I can't hold back my hurting soul any longer, and begin to voice my regrets audibly.

"Oh, my heart! I cannot take it anymore! Why must men and women all around me serve as a constant reminder of what could've been?! Must I forever walk this unfortunate road alone...with no one to share in my miseries?!"

"Here we go. Get the popcorn, Jas." I hear Sucy whisper.

"If my death is what Hannah wants so, then who am I to question God's ultimate creation?!" I continue. "Goodbye cruel world! May my horrible histories remind future generations of the greatest fallacy of all time. True love doesn't exist!"

With all my emotions and energy drained, I collapse to the floor dramatically, waiting for death to come.

"Looks like we finally broke him." Sucy sniggers.

Unamused by Sucy, Jasminka walks over to me, a sad expression on her face.

"Come on, Ted. Get up."

"No!" I refuse. "If my one true love holds no connection to me, then why must I hold connection to this grotesque mass of flesh? Let me die, and my spirit forever watch over Hannah. Maybe then I'll be of some worth to her."

Not being able to bear a friend in such a pitiful state, Jasminka says

"Look, girls like it when you take things slow. You're overwhelming her, try to dial it down a bit."

I sit up, a bit confused by this new advice.

"But Sucy told me-"

"Sucy was just messing with you." She interrupts. "I'm sorry that I didn't stop it. It was a little funny at first, but now I just feel bad."

So that's it? I was just fed false information?

Perhaps then there still might be a chance to revive this fallen heart, and create an equilibrium between our feelings.

I get back up, dusting myself off.

I look back at Jasminka, saying

"Thank you. Maybe now the wounds of my broken heart can heal strong again. If this new advice is all that I need, a second chance at happiness may have been rewarded onto me. My love and I will finally join into one contract. Winter may be upon us, but love is in bloom. All I need is to plant the seed into Hannah's fertile lands, and our happiness will blossom into a mighty meadow, where we will spend our living lives together. This day might not be lost yet."

Jasminka cocks her head to their side in confusion.

"You're welcome...I think." She says, not being to fully grasp my vernacular.

Sucy joins Jasminka's side, saying

"Whether you follow my advice or her's, you're still going to fall flat. I'll just watch the show."

"Yes, a show." I nod, agreeing with her. "A play of forbidden love between two people, a modern adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. We shall come together in our mutual grievances, striving to forever link our twin souls together. Hopefully neither of us will meet with the same fates of our fictional counterparts."

With this, I guide my heart, as well as my two friends, to where the angel of my dreams ran off to.

We walk back through the school, and to the front.

Thankfully, I spot my everything as well as her friend sitting on the bench once again.

This time, instead of rushing into it with a flurry of emotions, I take my time.

I carefully walk out in front of them, making sure they can spot my movements and track my being.

I move in front of the two. Hannah's past smile is exchanged for a deep scowl.

"This creep again?!" She questions to Barbara. "I wish I had a Bill Clinton rape whistle from InfoWars Store dot com."

"Like, what are you still doing here?" Barbara questions me.

As I'm about to break out into another five hundred word speech, declaring my love for the blessing from above that is sitting before me, I remember Jasminka's advice.

Take it slow, and don't overwhelm her.

I take a knee in front of them, my eyes sparkling with deep emotion as they gaze upon the lovely Hannah.

I feel faint pressure on my cheek, as well as the sounds of many pairs of feet drawing near.

Ignoring these outside disturbances, I extend one hand, reaching out to my future queen.

"Hannah England, would you do me the honor of...becoming my bride?"

As Hannah stands up, I feel my heart skip one, or two, or twenty beats.

Perhaps the time for our courtship is finally here. We will be forever entwined in our own consumption of each other's love. I can already hear our wedding bells tolling to the sounds of angels. I wonder, who will be my best man?

The dreams about our future together is ended, as Hannah once again strikes me across the face, this time with so much force that I fall to the ground.

Dazed and confused, I rub the recently abused area.

What the hell just happened?

Sitting back up, I see Hannah rubbing her hand onto her shirt, declaring in disgust

"Ewww, I've got bug guts on my hand!"

What is she on about now?

Looking in the direction of the footsteps, I spot Diana, Constanze, Amanda, and Akko.

Diana walks over to me, holding out her hand to me.

I grab it, and she pulls me to my feet.

Diana immediately wraps her arms around me in a hug, whispering happily

"Thank goodness you're back. I was afraid we'd lose sight of that bee, and you'd be forever cursed."

Well, this is fairly sudden. But still, I'm not going to argue against a hug from Diana.

"So, you're not under the love spell?" Akko cautiously asks.

"I doubt he is." Amanda answers. "He's not slobbering over Hannah anymore."

Constanze nods at this.

Sucy and Jasminka emerge from their hiding places, joining us.

"Wait, what the hell is going on?!" Hannah screams, the confusion running deep.

Diana lets go of me, directing her attention to her two friends.

"Girls, please come with me, and let me explain the cause of Theodore's...abrupt emotions."

The three of them, Diana, Hannah, and Barbara leave the scene, probably moving to their dorm, where Diana can fully explain the previous situation.

"Hey Ted, I think you dropped this." Akko claims, picking up my letter and handing it to me.

It must've fallen out when Hannah smacked me.

That woman, I can't believe that I fell in love with her, even if I was under magical influence.

"So, who's it from, anyway?" Amanda asks, as I look it over.

The family's name, as well as the place of origin, is all too familiar.

It's been months since I've heard word of them. I truthfully thought the silence would remain until my graduation, and eventual return. To see this now is only a surprise to me.

"It's a...it's a letter from my family back in Italy."

Without any wasted time, I impatiently tear open the envelope.

"Jeez, calm down." Amanda comments. "You might just rip apart the letter."

Ignoring her, I take up the paper, naturally written in Italian.

The envelope also contains not one but two plane tickets, both set for Rome.

Two? Why two? Perhaps this letter will shed light on this recent inquiry.

'To our child Theodore:

Much time has passed since we've spoken. Not a letter has been sent by you, nor us.

We can say with confirmation that the whole family: mother, father, grandpa, your older brother and eldest sister, are all doing well. The events that have befallen us these past few months are the status quo of the Sempronia household.

We trust that the nature of your absence updates have been due to the devotion and focus that a magical academia requires.

However, as Yuletide draws near, the call of return cannot go unanswered. On this break between the years, we request your immediate return to Rome for the holiday.

Due to the continual pleas of your older brother Feliciano, he would very much like to meet one of your new acquaintances that you've come to know at the school.

This is the nature of the multiple plane tickets that should be in your possession.

Naturally, this act was not committed on his request alone. As you know, money has been forever a finite resource for the Sempronias.

However, we are also intrigued to see who you've chosen for companionship, if any at all. The ties of friendship have historically never come easily to you, and we're interested to see what this new school, in an objectively lesser country than that of Italy, has to offer.

Your native friend is also in high spirits due to your return, and will visit Rome from her household in Anzio for the occasion.

We hope that you shall take up the reins of this request.

Signed

Padre, Madre, e Nonno Roma'


	24. Beefy and The Plane

**Author's Note: Hey guys, MisunderstoodMillennialSmallWeenie69 here, and today we have a crisis on our hands, a crisis in the comment section**

" **Ummm i think Paul H. is Andrew's father right?"**

" **Um I don't know if you realized this but you paired lotte with Paul H. I believe that's Andrew's father"**

 **Yes, my every observant fans, I realize the violation of human rights I just committed. I know that Paul is Andrew's dad, and that I paired him with Lotte. Before you say anything, I understand your deep seated anger and hatred for me. I get it, Paul Hanbridge is a straight up husbando dilf, and I don't want him being shipped with anyone else besides me. That's why I'm going to change it to something much more meaningful.**

 **Before you even say it, yes I know that this chapter is smaller than the others. This is just a gateway chapter to a whole new world.**

 **But, because I am a kind and caring author, I'm going to make it up to you. Remember how in the last chapter, Theodore did a parody on the song "Fergalicious"? Well, I decided to make one for everyone. Enjoy!**

" **I'm the A, to the K, other K, and O, and I love Shiny Chariot, don't you know? I'm Akkolicious."**

" **I'm the L, to the O, to the two T's, and E, and ain't no other body loves Nightfall like me. I'm Lottilicious."**

" **I'm the S, to the U, to the C, and Y, and I'll always laugh when you cry. I'm Sucylicious."**

" **I'm the A, to the M, other A, only N, D, and final A, and I'm no work and all play. I'm Amandalicious."**

" **I'm the C, to the O, to the N, S, T, A, other N, Z, E, and there ain't a better mute girl than me. I'm Constalicious."**

" **I'm the J, to the A, to the S, M, I, N, K, and A, and you know I'm scarfing food till the end of the day. I'm Jaslicious."**

" **I'm the D, to the I, to the A, N, A, and you know Ted would love to see me in lingerie. I'm Dianalicious."**

 **And of course, one for pappa himself:**

" **I'm the R, to the O, M, A, N, to the V, I, K, I, N, G, and ain't no other body meming down like me. I'm ugly."**

* * *

I stand in front of Diana's dorm door, my recently read letter in hand.

After my family had asked of me to bring a friend, I couldn't think of anyone else more suitable than the blonde herself. Lotte would've been another potential option, but since she already resides with her own family in Finland, that narrows down the list from two to one.

The other girls are fine, but I don't think they're valid for the aristocratic lifestyle of Rome and the Sempronias ourselves, Akko and Amanda in particular. Those two aren't known for their hoity toity lifestyles.

Diana, however, is cut from a different cloth than those two previously mentioned. She's elegant and demure, as well as intelligent. I don't know much about the Cavendish family, but I've heard of their power and influence, especially that of the past.

The Sempronias could have been as strong, if not more so, if we had not given in to the barbarians of the north. If we had only held onto our power in Rome, history would've taken a much different course.

I knock on her dorm door, signaling my arrival.

After a couple seconds of waiting, a few locks click, and the door opens.

Diana stands in the doorway, a smile spread on her face as she sees me.

"Oh, hello Theodore. What brings you here?"

"Hello Diana." I greet her, returning her friendliness and smile. "Do you have a moment? I was going to ask you something."

Without any questions, Diana opens the door wider, standing aside as to let me enter.

"Oh, I always have time for you. Please do come in."

I enter her room. However, can one really call it a room?

It's a lot bigger than my own, as well as containing much more furniture. In front of me is a green sofa, as well as a smaller green padded chair, both centred around a crystal table.

To the left of that are two queen sized beds, both with red velvet blankets. In between the two beds is a nightstand equipped with a lamp.

To the right of the green sofa from before sits a wooden table, equipped with two matching chairs, the table itself holding standard school items.

The whole thing hugs up against a giant wooden wall. Upon closer inspection, another room lies on the other side, perhaps containing Diana's own bed.

The room is lit up by giant glass doors, opening up to an above ground patio outside, and the floor is covered by a giant red rug, decorated with black symbols.

Overall, the sheer elegance and beauty of the room puts mine in complete and utter shame.

"Hannah and Barbara have gone for a walk." She informs me. "The former is still rather flustered over what happened."

"Trust me, I didn't like that experience any more than she did." I comment, still admiring her room which could rival The Four Seasons in sheer luxury.

Diana takes a seat at the foot of one of the red beds, patting the space next to her.

"Please Theodore, don't be a stranger. You may take a seat next to me."

Well, this just got interesting.

Sitting next to an attractive woman on a bed is definitely something I didn't imagine myself doing when I signed up for this school. But then again, fighting a Roman god and reviving a friend's dead dog dad wasn't on my to-do list either.

Is this how she treats me when we are outside of the public eye? Does this act mean nothing to her, or is she trying to throw hints at me?

Even if that question might go unsolved, this is an opportunity that I would be a fool to pass up.

I awkwardly make my way to the bed, taking a seat next to her, a thin blush on my face as I think Italian thoughts.

"So, what is it that you were wondering?" Diana asks, another smile on her face.

She always smiles at me. Whether it's in the middle of a conversation, or engaging in another casual encounter with her, Diana never fails to show me her good spirits.

However under the watchful eyes of the public, she maintains the classic British stiff upper lip. Even around Hannah and Barbara she only shows stoicism, a smile being her rarity to the two. If what she shows to the public is nothing but a mask, then I wonder what lies beneath it. I have the pleasure of experiencing a piece of it, something that not many can say they have.

"Theodore?" Diana asks, a little nervous at my lack of any response.

"Oh, yes...right." I say, slightly embarrassed, remembering the purpose of my visiting. "I was wondering if you had any plans for Christmas vacation."

Diana raises a brow, asking

"What brought this about?"

"My family sent me a letter requesting me to return to Italy for the holidays. They also wanted me to bring a friend."

"May I see the letter?" Diana asks, outstretching one of her hands.

"Of course." I agree, handing it to her.

She takes it, holding it up to her face.

After a few seconds of scanning through the lines, Diana has an epiphany.

"Wait a second, I can't read Italian."

I chuckle at this, taking the letter back, and summarizing it to her.

"Basically, my family has invited me to Rome for Christmas vacation. They also want to see who I've befriended at this school."

I pause before remembering another detail.

"Oh yeah, and my friend is coming from Anzio to Rome to visit. I haven't seen or heard from her since I left for Luna Nova, so I'm excited."

Diana's eyebrows furrow at the mention of her.

"And who is this friend?" She questions.

"Just a childhood friend...well, my only childhood friend." I admit, slightly saddened by this thought.

Seeing this, Diana changes the topic, asking

"So, do you have any plans on how we could spend the vacation?"

I shake my head.

"No, but I suppose I could give you a tour of Rome."

Diana jokingly flutters her eyelashes at me, saying

"Ooh, a tour of Rome? How could I pass up such an offer? And by a local, as well."

This little gimmick lightens me up, as I let out a few chuckles.

"And how will we get there?" Diana asks. "I assume you or your family have something arranged."

I pull out the two tickets from my satchel.

"One plane ticket for each of us. The flight is scheduled for tomorrow. Not much time to prepare."

"All expenses paid?" She asks, a smirk on her face.

"All expenses paid." I confirm.

After a brief moment of silence, perhaps of thinking, Diana returns her gaze and smile to me.

"Alright, I'll join you and your family in Rome for Christmas vacation."

I'm taken back by this sudden response.

"Are you sure? That was a quick decision. Don't you have your own family that's waiting for you?"

Diana's face suddenly turns serious, as she says

"My aunt and I don't see eye to eye on much when it comes down to the future of the Cavendish's. The family is all so political now. An argument a day, or something similar to that. It'll be nice to escape the drama for a few weeks. Trust me, it wasn't a hard decision."

As soon as it appeared, her hard face disappears, another smile taking its place.

"But, what would be is what I should pack."

* * *

"Flight to Stockton leaving in three minutes." The intercom rings throughout the station.

Many people of all different backgrounds scurry around in different directions.

Some are escorted by their family, either leaving the Gloucestershire airport to return home, or just arriving to spend their Christmas in England. Many carry a staggering number of suitcases, filled to the brim with hats, sunscreen, clothes, shampoos, and various other travel items.

The whole building is a sea of confused tourists, savvy businessmen, and the airport workers themselves, every little conversation between them merging together to create a blur of indecipherable sounds.

Thankfully, Diana and I are safe from this madness, having refuge in the waiting room.

The both of us wait for the plane to Rome to finally come to the terminal.

I'll admit, after a few hours of waiting, I'm beginning to grow a little impatient. I'm sure Diana feels the same way. Hell, in this time, I've managed to read fifteen chapters in 'The Brink of Salvation'.

"Flight to Rome departing now." I hear.

"Finally." I exclaim, tiredly standing from my chair, my bones popping from lack of use.

"Rome, Georgia." The intercom finishes.

Damn it!

With a deep sigh of defeat, I slump back into my chair.

Seeing this, Diana lightly chuckles, saying

"Oh my, beginning to grow impatient are we?"

"Actually sitting down and relaxing is an anomaly right now. I guess I'm just used to the constant hijinks of Luna Nova." I point out.

She laughs at this, saying

"Well, let us hope that we can find relaxation inside of Rome."

As our conversation is about to continue, I hear someone cry out

"I want my corn dog!"

Looking towards the direction of that sound, I see a food cart in our waiting room. While I don't recognize the vendor, I can definitely identify the upset buyer. He's an overweight, out of shape, balding, lonely man.

"Sir, I need an extra pound." The vendor explains.

"I don't have an extra pound!" Beef Mc Whatnow exclaims, angrily pounding the table with his fat fist, his body jiggling on impact.

"Then no corn dog." The vendor calmly replies.

"I want my corn dog!" Beefy repeats.

"You can't have a corn dog."

"I want my corn dog!"

As the two continue on like this, Diana casted her confused eyes onto me. Slightly annoyed by the man, she says

"My oh my, if that fool doesn't control himself, then airport security will surely apprehend him."

The both of us stare on at the ensuing argument.

"This is an outrage! What kind of self respecting capitalist country can't even supply my demand?!"

"We're basically socialist, and the supply is fine, you just don't have enough money."

Beef Mc Whatnow is visibly hurt by this, as he steps back, and points at himself.

"How dare you?! My name is Beef Mc Whatnow III, heir to the Whatnow throne! As the future king of Wales, I demand only the best of the best!"

"More like the king of whales." The vendor mutters, chuckling to himself.

"Excuse me?!" Beef demands, this time slapping the table.

It doesn't take a genius to see that this argument could easily turn into something ugly. Whether it's Beef, the vendor, or airport security, the future peace of this airport looks grim. Without outside influence, things could go awry.

"Pardon me, Diana." I request, getting up from my seat.

I really don't want my flight being cancelled because airport security thinks Beef Mc Whatnow is a crazed terrorist.

"Hey, Beef Mc Whatnow." I call out, approaching him.

Upon hearing my voice, he loses his past anger, looking on at me as a friend.

"Whoa! Well, if it isn't the guy with the scars and the nose?"

That's right, I never did tell him my name.

He sees Diana walk up besides me.

"What happened to the girl with the face and the glasses? Did you two break up, and now you're dating this girl with the hair and the neck?" He asks innocently.

While those descriptions are odd, I can't argue against them. Lotte definitely has a face and glasses, as well as Diana having hair and a neck.

But, I do remember lying to Beef, telling him that Lotte and I were on a date.

My face grows hot and red as I wonder what Diana must be thinking of his claim that Lotte and I were a couple. I believe I'm being to grow attracted to the blonde. I don't want Beefy mucking it up with false information.

"N-no, I'm not dating either of them..." I affirm, myself being too embarrassed to continue on with the conversation.

"Mr. Whatnow, you are causing quite an uproar." Diana scolds him, her arms crossed in judgment. "I believe it would be best if you ceased this foolish behavior before security arrives."

"I just want my corn dog." Beef Mc Whatnow explains, stomping his foot like a spoiled child. "I've been waiting for my flight all morning. I'm hungry!"

All morning? That's as long as we've been waiting. Could it be...

Diana, with an eyebrow raised, probably thinking the same as I, asks

"And which flight are you waiting for?"

"The one for Rome. I'm gonna spend this Christmas with my cousin Pepperoni Mc Whatnow."

Pepperoni Mc Whatnow? Just how many people are their that bear the surname Whatnow? Too many, one Whatnow is more than enough.

With the thought of this man and his family flowing through my mind, I finally lose my self conscious demeanor. After all the embarrassment that Beef Mc Whatnow has just put himself through, my one sentence seems trivial by comparison.

I dig into not my satchel this time, but my jean pocket.

"Here, just have a pound."

Beef's eyes bulge like a bug upon hearing my words.

He takes it in his meaty hands, his whole body quivering as if I just ensured his passage into heaven.

"Are you sure?" He asks, looking back at me.

I nod to him.

A single pound is definitely worth having this guy shut up. Especially considering the fact that he almost started something serious. Airports aren't the place to scream, and threaten, even if you're a Whatnow, the supposed rulers of Wales. Although, I believe that was just another one of his lies, lies which I've never discovered if Beef believes himself or not.

Beef Mc Whatnow, thankful for my charity, turns back to the vendor.

With that whole situation now cleared, Diana and I return to our chairs.

"That man, he surely is something." Diana scoffs to me, holding little respect for the overweight, out of shape, balding, lonely man.

"You can say that again." I nod, agreeing with her.

The both of us return to what we were doing before, absolutely nothing.

However, I do want to talk with Diana. For reasons that have been previously stated, I've recently had urges to be around her, and engage in dialog. I guess that was why I invited her to Rome in the first place.

Whether the wait is three minutes or three hours left, I should take this opportunity while I have it. Besides, she's not doing much of anything either.

I turn to Diana, prepared to engage with her in discourse.

However, as the first syllables escape my mouth, I can't help but notice Beef Mc Whatnow, corn dog in hand, appearing before us, a wide smile on his face, revealing his unbrushed yellow teeth.

"Beefy is here!" He proclaims, before plopping himself in the chair next to me.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, a little annoyed by his repeated encounters with me.

"Since we're going to the same place, we can be travel buddies!" He happily declares, before greedily devouring his corn dog.

Unamused, Diana raises an eyebrow, asking me

"So, I assume he's a friend of yours."

"You can say that..."

Both of our gazes return to the large man, now consuming his corndog.

He takes little nibbles, obnoxiously making the 'om nom nom' sound all the while.

He chews the food with his mouth open, purring like a cat.

"Oh, god yes..." He mutters through his food.

He continues this process, eating away at the skin, until only the meat is visible.

Beef pulls a mustard packet he must've gotten from the vendor out of his pocket. He opens it up, and squeezes it out onto his pant leg, effectively using it as a plate.

Beef dips his meat into the mustard, taking a huge bite, and letting out a loud moan that echoes throughout the waiting room.

A chuck of the meat drools out of his mouth, falling on the floor.

He casually scoops it up, returning it to his mouth with visible pleasure.

Diana gags in disgust, while I look on, feeling fairly uncomfortable myself.

Although seeing the deaths of Bruno and John Diehl has definitely made my stomach a tough nut to crack, Beef just cracked it.

Beef Mc Whatnow stops his eating, looking at us, genuinely confused by our discomfort.

"What's the matter? Haven't you had meat in your mouth?"

I don't say anything. I'm not sure if Beef understands what he's saying or not.

Seeing my lack of a response, he turns over to Diana, asking

"What about you, Blondie? Have you ever had meat in your mouth?"

She doesn't respond either, also knowing the second meaning behind those words.

"You two look like good friends." He continues, still talking to Diana. "Surely you've been to his house before for dinner, and he put the meat in your-"

"Flight to Rome, Italy boarding now." The intercom interrupts.

Oh, thank god.

Diana and I get up from our seats, the both of us wanting to get away from this man as soon as possible.

Without any words exchanged to each other or Beef, we grab our luggage, being the first to check in with the ticket verifier.

We both have them scanned, and we move through the tunnel that connects the plane and the airport.

Diana uses this moment of silence to voice her thoughts.

"Well, that man, Beef Mc What, was surely uncouth to say the least. I hope he doesn't ruin our vacation."

"Don't worry, Rome's a big place." I reassure her. "I doubt we'll run into him."

"I hope not."

The two of us board the plane, making our way to our assigned seats.

We walk through first class, and business class, approaching the end of the plane.

Slightly confused, Diana pulls out her ticket, looking it over, before coming to the conclusion.

"Coach class? I'd assume due to your family we'd be in first."

I shrug, saying

"My grandpa likes to save money."

As we continue to walk through coach class, Diana takes a seat in the section in front of ours.

Confused, I tell her

"Diana, I think you're in the wrong seat."

The blonde looks over her ticket again, before saying

"No, this is my seat."

"Oh no, are we not together?" I ask.

I look at my ticket again, answering my own question.

"No, I'm behind you."

I take the window seat behind Diana, disappointed by family's failure to put us together.

Diana notices my attitude.

"At least you have a window seat." She attempts to comfort me.

"At least..." I mutter.

As the other passengers begin to trickle in, one catches my eye. He's an overweight, out of shape, balding, lonely man, and he's heading straight for me.

Please don't tell me...

Seeing me, Beef Mc Whatnow begins to skip merrily through the aisle, much to the dismay of the other passengers.

As he closes the distance, Beef jumps, and with a surprising amount of agility, does a cannonball directly into my aisle, his overweight, out of shape body slapping into two seats, rather than one.

"Hey travel buddy, you ready to travel?!" Beef asks, happily bouncing in his two seats like a child.

Hearing this development, Diana turns around in her seat, giving me a pity face.

"I had to buy two tickets for this flight, one for each chair." Beef admits. "I feel fat shamed, oppressed, and offended."

I have only been with Beef Mc Whatnow for small amounts of time, but now I must share a confined space with him for the entire flight? This could be potentially maddening.

I don't know, maybe I'm blowing this out of proportions. Maybe it won't be too bad.

"A thing that you should know about me is when I sleep, instead of snoring, I have really loud orgasms. So if I fall asleep on the plane, don't wake me up. I might get spooked, and scare the other people."

I quickly look over at Diana.

"How long is the flight?" I ask, a ting of desperate pleading audible in my voice.

"About three hours." She answers back.

What have I done to deserve this?! I try to be nice to those who deserve it, but it seems as every little attempt that could've been made to destroy my mental psyche has been made!

I pray that a bag from the storage space above may fall, and knock me out.

"Hey..." I hear Beef begin.

He pulls up the shirt sleeve on his arm, exposing a disgusting mass. It looks like a pimple, but it's far too big. A boil, perhaps? But it's still far too big. I've also never heard of a boil colored yellow.

"...Does this look infected to you?" He asks.

With an exhausted sigh, I slump back into my chair, waiting for this hell to end before it's barely even begun.

* * *

 **Author's Note: And there we go, boys, next chapter will start this little Rome arc, and then so much more plot afterwards…**

 **But because I still feel bad about this chapter length, I've decided to create a poll, because that's what the cool, successful, cool fanfic writers are doing. And I'm cool and successful, right?**

 **The poll will be in your opinion, who is best girl in Little Witch Academia. Just slide on down to my account page, and let your opinion be heard. Next chapter, I'll say the top three, as well as my own best girl choice.**

 **And don't forget to follow, fav, and comment so I can stay relevant with these emerging fanfics on the rise.**


	25. Villa Sempronia

**Author's Note: Boys and girls, I have once again created a crime against humankind! Last chapter, I was so invested in the best ship 'Lotte X Paul Hanbridge' that I didn't even realize that I missed a few reviews! Oh Heaven and Hell, give me strength as I face my angered readers!**

' **Theds big bro wants to be an uncle...**

 **Signed,**

 **Again,**

 **The future president'**

 **Good to have you back, future president sir. Let us see if your theory is correct.**

' **It's got to be Diana that goes with Theodore, Right? Since she's starting to fall for him.'**

 **No, no, no, no, no, NO! Are you dumb white male?! It's clearing going to be Ms. Finnelan that goes with Theodore! Age is but a number, a social construct of the evil patriarchal system! If you don't agree with me, then you're an evil Nazi!**

' **Did i sense a bit of jealousy from diana?this is the start of something that im going to enjoy!'**

 **I hope you do, good sir. Enjoy the ride while it lasts.**

' **Awesome.'**

 **Awesome review.**

 **And before I forget, let me tell you the results of my poll! The amount of activity was astonishing, a population to rival that of China! A grand total of four people put in their mighty opinion, telling which character was best girl! Here's the ranking:**

 **Diana, two votes**

 **Akko, achieving one vote**

 **Tied with Akko, Fem Beef Mc Whatnow, receiving one vote as well.**

 **Well boys, there you have it! I'll keep the poll open in case anyone wants to put in their last minute opinion! But, I promised you my own vote, who I think is best girl. Sucy is top tier best girl! Come fite me irl.**

* * *

The taxi bounces, as it hits a pothole in the old country road. The view outside the passenger's window is that of the flat countryside of Rome, wet and brown leaves covering both the road and scenery as winter takes its toll on the landscape. A thin, but fresh layer of snow also covers some of the less exposed regions. Wineries, vineyards, and even a few ancient landmarks have been crossed by our path.

I was thoroughly surprised by the fact that upon our arrival to Rome, there was not a single member of Theodore's family to greet us. The only friendly face being a taxi driver, holding up a sign reading 'Theodore Sempronia'.

Theodore, however, was not put off by this lack of a welcome party at all. He in fact seemed to be totally in his element, as if he expected this sort of treatment.

I wonder if this sort of apathy was caused by a simple error in their scheduling, or perhaps they were simply too occupied by whatever work the Sempronias engage themselves in. However, another alternative motive crosses my mind. A reason which I hope does not turn out to be true. Perhaps they just don't care.

It's not uncommon for posh and aristocratic families to hold a certain amount of formality and distance with even that of their own blood. I firsthand have experienced such discomforts from my aunt, and realize how such coldness can be.

However, Theodore doesn't seem to be plagued by these worries, as he sleeps away peacefully in the seat next to mine.

After awakening at five hours after midnight, packing and finalizing our luggage for two, having an elf drive us for three hours to the airport, and waiting for our plane for an additional two hours, sleep was what Theodore required the most.

I soon discovered that he was not the best when it came to flying. Whether it was a fear of flying, the rush of greeting his family again, or the rather large man continuously trying to apologize for outrageous and infeasible actions, his room for respite was greatly reduced.

It makes me happy to see that he's caught a break, and is finally able to rest.

"Excuse me, sir. How much longer until we reach the Sempronia's household?" I ask the taxi driver.

"About five minutes." He answers in a thick Italian accent.

A moment of silence passes, before the man speaks once again.

"You know, I'm surprised that the Sempronias let you join them for Christmas."

"Whatever for?" I ask, a bit curious in further learning about them.

"They're usually so reclusive." He begins. "The Sempronias are infamous in Italy. They might have been respected way back when, but now they're a bunch of lowlifes. Especially the grandpa, I wouldn't trust him if I had a lie detector."

This isn't what I expected at all. I assumed as a high class family, they would be famous, rather than infamous. But then again, this just some random man's opinion. Surely what he says can hold no grounds.

"The kids, like the one next to you, are relatively normal." He continues. "Must be a generation gap. But a Sempronia's a Sempronia. They just care about power and wealth. I'm surprised they haven't been run out, or exiled, or something."

"I would ask that you not speak about my friend in such a way." My words might've been polite, but my tone was anything but.

The driver simply shrugs, as he continues driving, his eyes never leaving the road.

How dare he refer to Theodore in such away?! Throughout these months that I've known him, he has never shown any signs of a lowlife. If memory serves me right, I believe we have never engaged in any arguments outside of a simple disagreement here and there. Nothing that this man speaks of.

Pushing these claims out of my mind, I remember what the man also said: only five minutes until we reach our destination.

I suppose I should awaken my sleeping friend before we arrive, give him a chance to shake off his grogginess.

I lightly pat Theodore three times on his shoulder.

With a few blinks, he arises, covering his mouth as he lets out a tired yawn.

"Hey Diana, what's going on?" He asks, his voice quiet and exhausted from his past slumber.

"I believe we will arrive at your manor in about five minutes. I assumed you wanted time to recuperate."

"Your assumption was correct..." He mutters, leaning forward to stretch.

After he wakes himself up, he comfortably slides back in his chair, asking

"So, how are you feeling, Diana? Are you excited, nervous?"

"I can say with certainty that I'm looking forward to this vacation. Not only am I spending Christmas in a beautiful country such as this one, but I get to meet your family, and learn more about you. And don't forget, you promised me a tour of Rome." I tease, smiling at him.

He returns the smile with his own.

"I did, didn't I? Well, I guess I'll have to make good on that promise."

"Villa Sempronia, dead ahead." I hear the taxi driver inform us.

As the taxi draws closer, the villa begins to come into sight, and the view is simply breathtaking.

Comfortably on rolling grasslands, a white manor sits.

The whole building is shaped like a 'C' with sharp edges, opening out in our direction. The manor surrounds an ornate garden, which contains marble statues of people, perhaps of past Sempronias. A fountain lies in the central of the whole thing, spouting crystal clear water.

Although the manor is only a few stories high, it's spread over a wide area. The whole building is decorated by finely carved windows, balconies, archways, and decorative architecture. Why, the upkeep to maintain such a standard of living must be phenomenal!

Overall, the manor looks as if it was built in the 16th century, and still stands strong to this day. Something truly spectacular indeed.

The driver stops in front of the manor, and the both of us get out, not forgetting to grab our luggage.

Theodore thanks the driver in Italian, handing him his pay.

Without another word, the man drives away.

As the both of us approach the manor, the door suddenly swings open with force.

An energetic man, with brown eyes, as well as reddish brown hair, with a hair curl on the left side of his head. He is also a bit taller than Theodore, and looks to be in his early 20s.

"Teddy! Teddy! Teddy!" He happily exclaims, charging at us.

He seemingly tackles Theodore on the ground, hugging him tightly, excitingly speaking in Italian.

Theodore smiles, a bit embarrassed by the man's actions.

My friend says something else in his native language, and he gets off of him, still as excited as ever.

Theodore gets up as well, brushing himself off, as he says

"This is my older brother, Feliciano. He's a little excited, as you can tell."

Feliciano gives me a warm smile, eagerly grabbing my hand, forcing me in a handshake.

"Hello, hello, hello!" He exclaims, rapidly shaking my hand. "I'm Feliciano, Teddy's older brother! It's a pleasure to meet you! So, you must be the friend he brought! You're so pretty, I'd love to share a bowl of pasta with you! Let us be friends, and play with each other!"

He lets go of my hand, my whole arm hurting from his abrupt welcome.

I try to regain my composure.

"Well...hello Feliciano. My name is Diana. I am indeed the friend Theodore brought."

Feliciano seems nice, a bit too energetic for my liking, but he does seem to love and care for Theodore.

Whatever was that taxi driver talking about?

"Theodore!" I hear someone new say.

Looking back towards the door, I see three others, a man, and two women.

One of the girls appears to be slightly older than Feliciano, with dark brown hair and brown eyes. She also has an olive complexion, with a hair curl appearing on the right side of her head as opposed to the left. Perhaps Theodore's older sister?

The other two are much older.

With their age and striking resemblance to the two previously mentioned, I can only assume that they're Theodore's parents.

Once the group of three lay their eyes on Theodore, most notably his facial scars, they all show their responses openingly.

The two eldest of the three put on faces of shock, while the young adult female simply raises an eyebrow.

The two expressing shock quickly make there way to us.

The man asks Theodore questions in their shared language, while the woman grabs his face, holding his cheeks in motherly concern.

Theodore, the man, and women, engage in heavy dialog, none in which I could understand as it was spoken in Italian.

Feliciano slides over to his sister, slinging an arm around her.

"Hey Diana, check it cool!" He begins, causing my attention to shift towards these two. "This is my big sister Romana. Isn't she cheesy?"

Romana's eyes stare at the stone floor, not even bothering to acknowledge me. She must be shy.

"I'm older than Teddy, and she's older than me! Since she's the oldest, she likes to be the boss, so she's kind of a dick. Right?" Feliciano asks his sister, again greeted by no response. "Now say hi to my friend."

Romana finally looks up, greeting me with a face that shows both bored apathy and mild contempt.

"Suck my tits, you damn tea drinker." She casually says to me.

What's with this uncouth greeting? I originally thought she was shy and sensitive, perhaps sharing a personality comparable to Lotte, but now my opinion of her has vastly changed. Somehow, only speaking one sentence has completely changed my outlook on her.

"Oh boy, it's hug time." Feliciano sighs out, grabbing hold of his sister in a crude hug.

"Would you stop it with your hug therapy already?!" Romana demands, attempting to break free.

While the siblings continue to argue, I turn my gaze back to Theodore and his parents.

It looks as though the concerns regarding Theodore's physical changes have subsided, as they are now engaging in casual dialogue, not at all speaking in the same concerned and fast paced rhythm as before.

In that entire engagement, I did not hear the word Mendacius mentioned even once. He must've lied to them.

During this time of talk, Theodore points at me, speaking to the two in his native tongue. I hear my name mentioned once.

After his speech, the two adults turn their attention to me. The man offers a handshake.

"Hello, Diana. My name is Romulus Sempronia. I'm Theodore's father." He says in a pleasant tone.

I accept the hand, only to be greeted by another.

"And I'm Octavia, his mother."

I shake her hand as well.

They both seem fond enough of me. Didn't the taxi driver say that they rarely let an outsider in? I'm honestly wondering if the man had any idea of what he was saying.

"Hello to you both. I must say, you have quite a beautiful house." I compliment them.

If I'm going to live with them for two weeks, then I might as well make a good first impression.

"Thank you. It's been in our family for generations." Mr. Sempronia says.

"And you must be the friend that Theodore brought." His wife asks.

A quick pause, before she follows up with

"Or perhaps his girlfriend?"

Quizzical, I turn my gaze to Theodore, who is currently bearing a red face.

"N-No, mom. She's not my girlfriend...just a very good friend."

I smile at his kind words, before turning back to his parents, who still show signs of additional questions.

To clear up this confusion, I say

"The school we come from is an all girls school. It almost sounds weird saying it aloud that a boy would be accepted."

Before any additional questions can be brought up, Feliciano unexpectedly hugs Theodore from behind, full of hyper excitement.

"Ooh, a school full of cute girls?! Where can I sign up?!" He eagerly asks Theodore, as if ready to send off his application at this very moment.

Romana casually punches her younger brother on the back of his head, angrily saying

"You are so stupid! If you try to date one of them, you'll be in jail faster than you can say hasta la pasta!"

"Oh, I just can't help it!" Feliciano replies, turning to face her. "Whenever I see a bella, I have weird dreams, like the time when me and a bella ate macaroni from the toilet!"

Slightly disgusted by her brother's claims, Romana grabs Feliciano by the collar of his shirt, pointing a finger at him, and says with malice

"You listen to me, little brother! Next time you fantasize about dating under age girls, I'm gonna make you into mint pudding!"

What an odd punishment. Then again, these two seem anything but in the loop of standard behavior.

However, no matter how strange it may have sounded to me, Feliciano begins to freak out, struggling to squirm out of her grasp, while begging

"No, please don't! I had that stuff once, and it made my feet smell because I threw up all over them! I won't do it again!"

"Never again huh?!" She demands, now grabbing both of his shoulders, her eyes burning holes through his soul. "I'm gonna give you ten seconds to say 'I won't do it again'!"

Before this discomforting discourse can peruse any further, Mr. Sempronia's voice pierces through the argument.

"You two, stop this!"

The two stop, both of them having their eyes fixated upon their father, a slight tinge of fear growing on their faces.

"Throdore's back after months of absence and this is the welcome he gets?" He sternly questions. "Not only that, but this is the first impression you leave on Diana? She's our guest, and I ask that you two at least show her some hospitality."

In a frantic rush, Feliciano pulls a white flag seemingly out of nowhere.

"I'm so sorry! Please! Please! I surrender!" He begs, frightfully waving the flag around with blinding speed.

Seeing his son now suppressed, Mr. Sempronia's eyes glance to his daughter, saying

"And can you please try to behave? You are the oldest after all."

"Yeah, yeah." Romana coolly shrugs. "As long as she doesn't try to sleep with me, we're fine."

"She'll sleep in the guest bedroom." Her father informs her.

Trying to regain an atmosphere containing some kind of senseful harmony, Mrs. Sempronia glances at me, asking

"So Diana, how long have you been friends with our son?"

"I believe I've known him since the first day of school. However, we never really bonded until about a month in."

Sure, we may have exchanged a few words, and I might've saved him from death in the form of a rampaging dragon, but it was simply my duty to evaluate the students safely. Only after I stumbled upon him in the woods, did our friendship truly begin to blossom into what it is now.

"And how have you two gotten along?" She follows up.

As I'm about to answer, a small yawn escapes my lips, me covering it with a hand.

"Excuse me." I request.

"A little tired?" She asks, a small smile on her face.

"Yes, I believe it is the difference in time zones that has caused this disturbance." I explain.

Either that, or the uproar that Feliciano and Romana had drained me of energy.

"How about you, son?"

Theodore rubs an eye, still a little out of it even after the taxi ride.

"I've been away from home for months. I'm used to British time as well."

"He also didn't sleep well on the plane." I point out.

"I slept fine." He protests, attempting to act strong in front of his mother and father. However, it seems that his two siblings have slipped away back into the house, perhaps under orders from their father.

"He slept next to quite an unruly individual, full of energy. All he wanted to do was talk and talk. Due the increase in elevation and his own overweight body, he eventually passed out."

As I finish this tale, Mrs. Sempronia can't help but crack a grin at my description of the man's downfall.

"If you two are suffering from such jet lag, then maybe you should go to bed early tonight. We can talk more tomorrow?" Mrs. Sempronia suggests.

"Yes, that sounds fine with me." Theodore agrees, nodding his head.

"If it's good enough for Theodore, then it's good enough for me." I simply say.

"Well, enjoy your stay, Diana." Mr. Sempronia requests. "We hope you find the villa to your liking."

"Yes, we're happy to have you." His wife adds.

Before they leave, Mr. Sempronia engages in one last dialog with his son.

"Make sure you give Diana a tour, Theodore. We don't want her stumbling around blindly."

"Yes, of course." He obediently answers.

"Also, your friend called us earlier." His mother informs him, smiling as she sees the excitement begin to well up in his face. "She told us to tell you that she'll be in Rome tomorrow."

"Thank you!" He sincerely replies. "I'll be sure to call her tomorrow."

With that, his two parents turn around, beginning to make their way back to their house.

"Where's grandpa Roma?" Theodore suddenly asks them.

Yes, I did here about a grandpa. What did the taxi driver say? He wouldn't trust him if he had a lie detector?

Well, so far what that man has stated has been proven false on multiple accounts. I'm sure this claim will turn out to be just another one of his ramblings.

"He should be in the library. That's where we left him." His father answers.

"He's the one who noticed your arrival." His mother adds.

The two then continue their original course, entering their house, and leaving Theodore and I alone in the courtyard.

He turns to me, saying

"Okay, I'll give you a quick tour of the house. Next, we'll pay a visit to the library to see my grandpa. Then, I'll show you to the guest bedroom. How does that sound?"

I laugh at this new found enthusiasm of his.

"Sure Theodore, I'd love for you to give me a tour."

With my okay given, my friend grabs his luggage from the ground, and begins to move towards his home, beckoning me to follow.

I oblige, picking up my own belongings, and following him inside. As we enter, the interior design matches that out the exterior in pure beauty.

We currently stand inside a spacious rotunda, leading to three separate rooms. Two rooms lie on either end, their purpose hidden by a closed door. In between the two previous mentioned contains a much wider room, so big that it hugs up against the end of the house. This one doesn't have a door, but a wide corridor leading into whatever room it contains.

On the inside of the rotunda are two pairs of white wooden stairs which curve around the middle corridor, one on either side, leading to the second story.

On top of the stairs all I can see at the moment are a wooden banister and some kind of flag hung on the wall behind it.

Overall, the entire rotunda floor seems to be made of polished, solid white marble, the open windows above shining a light on the smooth surface, allowing the floor to give off a slight sparkle effect. Additionally, an occasional marble bust ensures that any empty space is filled.

"Why Theodore...this is so lovely." I whisper, marveling at all the designs previously mentioned.

I hear him chuckle, saying

"And this is just the entrance."

I turn to him, still overwhelmed by the external ecstasy created by this scene.

"I wish to see more."

He smiles at me.

"Well, that's what this tour is for. Follow me."

The two us make our way inside of the corridor, our footsteps echoing on the hard floor. I follow him all the way through, and it leads us to what looks like a dinning room.

It's hugged up against a corner of the house, with the far side containing windows, exposing the outside world.

The other side has multiple cabinets on the wall with glass doors, exposing the expensive looking china and silverware inside.

In the center of it all is a heavily polished, dark wood table, complete with matching chairs.

"You know, grandpa's silverware is made from real silver." Theodore claims, smugly grinning at me.

I turn to him, a hint of scepticism on my face.

"Oh really? The way you talk at school, I assumed your family was poor."

Confused, he raises an eyebrow, asking

"What made you think that?"

"You're always talking about how your family fell, and how the Sempronias are but a fraction of what they once were." I explain.

Theodore glances at the expensive furniture, the polished china, and the crystal clear windows.

"Poor compared to the past." He says, staring a bit longingly out the window.

After a few seconds of quiet contemplation past, Theodore looks back at me, asking

"So, are you ready to see the upstairs? I'll show you the library, and then your room."

"Sure, please show me." I request.

He nods, leaving the dining room as I follow closely.

We re-enter the rotunda, now making a left, and going up the flight of stairs.

When we reach the top, I get a better view of the flag I saw earlier.

Upon closer inspection, I deduce that it is not just an ordinary flag, but the Sempronian coat of arms.

On the flag is a purple shield, the color of nobility. An upside down 'V', the symbol of authority, is decorated on the shield. I note that it's of a light brown, the color of ambition. A bear is centered in the shield, an animal representing both strength and cunning.

In black letters, decorating a gold band running horizontally across the top of the shield, reads 'Auctoritatem et Potestatem Sempronia'.

Does that say...

"Authority and Power Forever." Theodore proudly reads. "It's our family motto."

"The Cavendish's motto is 'Affection'." I bring up, noting the vast differences between the two. "But, if my eyes don't deceive me, I believe I see your last name on the flag." I say, pointing to the word in question.

"Sempronia means 'Forever'." He explains. "So my full name means 'Gift from God Forever'. Kind of ironic considering what happened the last time I came face to face with a god."

He scoffs at this fact, looking back at the flag.

I smile, saying

"My first name means 'Divine'."

He smirks at me, asking

"Does that make you the 'Divine Banana'?"

I never really thought of it like that before.

I let out a half suppressed laugh at his question, and playfully elbow him in his side.

"Jerk." I tease.

He chuckles at my act, asking

"So, if you're done admiring the flag, would you like to meet grandpa Roma?"

His grandpa? My mind flashes to what the taxi driver said, that he's the worst out of the bunch, and he wouldn't trust him even if he had a lie detector.

Although what that man had said was proven to be false, a mere fantasy, I can't help but ponder how out off all the people who bear the surname Sempronia, he focuses on the grandpa the most.

Let's see, so what do I know about Roma Sempronia? Perhaps I can combine the words of the man with my own experiences and formulate some kind of conclusion.

According to Theodore, the reason why we suffered through coach class rather than a higher position was due to Roma's money saving policies. While this isn't an inherently bad trait, it can still raise a few eyebrows.

Theodore also stated that despite his long absence from home, his family didn't bother to write letters to him, or engage in any other form of communication. This, however, can be simply wrote off the hustle and bustle of Rome getting the better of the Sempronias still bounded to their native land, or perhaps even it being a standard practice in his family. However, no matter how busy my life would be, keeping in contact with a family member would be a top priority, especially if they're off in another country.

Then there's what Theodore's own parents stated. Despite him being the one to spot our approach, he still harbored himself within the house. That could mean multiple things. Perhaps due to his advanced age, he cannot move around with as much ease as he once could, and his transportation is more hassle than it's worth. Maybe, at the moment he's just simply busy, and could not meet us due to our unspecified entry. Or maybe, there is the possibility that that man's apathy has reached a height to where he sees his own grandson in a lesser light. Whatever the reason is, meeting him at the moment doesn't resonate well with me.

"I don't know, Theodore." I begin, thinking of an excuse. "I'm beginning to grow tired. Perhaps you can show me to my roo-"

Unexpectedly, especially coming from Theodore, he grabs my hand, and begins to guide me to what I assume is the library.

"Please, let me introduce you two." He requests, still holding onto me. "He's a great man. I'm sure you'll love him."

Theodore thinks rather highly of this man, and I trust his judgement. Perhaps he is worth a few words.

I allow him to continue his hold on me, as he guides me away from the flag and into a nearby hallway.

We walk through, reaching the back of the house once again, this time on the top floor.

We stop at an unmarked wooden door.

He let's go of me, and points at the door.

"This is the family library." He declares. "It contains many books about the Sempronias, and the events surrounding us going back all the way to the Roman Republic. All these antique manuscripts are worth more than our house."

I begin to grow interested in this room containing ancient knowledge.

"What kinds of documents are kept here?" I ask.

"Letters, excerpts from textbooks, our own books, pictures, artifacts, and more. Grandpa Roma also uses it as a study. If you ever need to see him, chances are he's in there."

Without any further word, Theodore opens the door.

The library is just as he stated and more. It's grand, to say the least, comparable to that of Luna Nova's own library. Many books, all of varying sizes and conditions, line all walls of the room.

It's also a well lit room. The combinations of candles, lights, lamps, and the room's own windows gives the air an almost yellow look to it.

An old tattered flag hangs proudly, bearing the SPQR logo. A few framed pictures also decorate the walls. While some are without color, others appear modern.

There's additionally a wooden table accompanied by a brown leather sofa positioned in the middle of the room, allowing comfortably prolonged reading periods.

Another table stands, this time hugging the right side wall. On it is an antique globe of Earth, made out of brass and faded ink.

A man stands at the table, still unaware of our presence. He stares longingly at the globe, his wrinkled hand cupping a side.

"Hail grandpa." Theodore says to the man, as a form of introduction.

The man looks up, slowly turning towards us.

He's definitely old. But not only that, it looks as though all the life energy this man once had has been drained out of him. He just looks empty, not sad, but empty.

His hairstyle is that of a crew cut, grayed with time.

He looks very bored, borderline apathetic towards us.

His eyes flicker at Theodore momentarily, and then lazily to me.

"I greet you. Roma, head of the Sempronia household." He says, introducing himself. "If you're a friend of Theodore, you're welcome."

And with that, he returns his gaze back to the globe, no further words leaving his mouth.

Theodore begins to leave the room, and I follow closely behind. When the door is finally closed, I can't help but look at Theodore, confusion in my voice.

"Is that all? I have to admit, his introduction was a bit underwhelming."

He shrugs, saying

"He likes his study time. Perhaps we caught him at the wrong moment."

Strange, while Roma didn't seem threatening, his lack of a response does seem a little off putting. Maybe Theodore's right, and he was just deep in thought. Interrupting wouldn't be a wise choice. I know how that feels. When I'm trying to concentrate on my school work, and Akko won't cease her talk.

"In any case, may you please show me to my room. I'd like to unpack." I admit, holding out my filled suitcases for him to see.

He smiles, picking up his own bags, saying

"Of course Diana. I would like to settle in as well."

I begin to follow him once again. We continue down the hallway, passing by three rooms.

"Those are the bedrooms of my siblings and I." Theodore explains as we pass by them.

We continue our trek to the end of the hall, coming across another door, this time all alone.

He opens it, and my temporary residence is exposed.

It's a wide room, painted in the same pale whiteness as most of the manor.

The bed is spacious, that of a king sized. On top of the comfortable looking green blanket, lies two sets of matching pillows, two fluffy, and two square.

A nightstand sits nearby, complete with a brass lamp.

A few wooden wardrobes, as well as a large silver mirror, decorate the bed's opposing wall.

On the far end of the room, there lies a balcony.

I can't help but give into my curiosity, as I begin to move towards it, Theodore following.

As we come onto the balcony, I notice that it's made of rough iron, with a sheet of wood acting as a floor. To my left are a few patio chairs made of wicker, but it's what's dead ahead that takes my breath away.

A flat field of rolling grass, stretching as far as the eye can see, lush and green. A thin layer of frost covers the grass, like icing on a cake, glistening like diamonds in the waning afternoon light.

In the near distance, a few vineyards decorate the flat land, workers busy to pick their grapes before winter completely takes over.

"That's our land." Theodore explains. "My grandpa leased it out to a few prominent wineries. We get a satisfying sum of rent money, as well as 10% of whatever wine they make."

In the distant sky, the sun begins to drift down into the horizon, creating that beautiful orange glow.

A cool breeze passes by, chilling my face. But I don't mind. I could stare at this picturesque scene for hours. If only I had a camera so that I may capture this scene forever.

"Why Theodore, this view...it's so beautiful." I softly say, half my mind focused on what lies before me.

"Si, tu sei." I hear him mutter.

Not understanding the meaning, I turn to him, asking simply

"What?"

As if just coming to a sudden realization, Theodore turns a shade of red, as he embarrassingly proclaims

"N-nothing at all! Never mind!"

I continue to stare at him, my confusion beginning to only grow.

He exits the balcony and back into the guest bedroom, his eyes never leaving me and his face never losing its recently acquired shade.

"It's getting pretty late." He claims, covering his facade with a fake yawn covered by his hand. "I should probably let you unpack."

He turns around, grabbing his packages and begins to quickly exit the room.

As he's about to pass through the doorway, I grab hold of his arm, stopping him in his tracks.

"Wait, Theodore."

He turns back to me, the red face now gone, and replaced by one of confusion.

I smile at him, saying

"Goodnight."

Seeing that this is all I wanted, he smiles back.

"Goodnight, Diana. I hope you have a wonderful time here."

And with that, my friend closes the door. I hear his footsteps grow more faint, probably journeying to his own room.

I suppose now I should begin to unpack and take an early night's rest.

I leave the door, walking over to my suitcases, kneeling before them, and unzipping.

As I begin to take out my travel items, I hear a knocking coming from my chamber door.

Thinking it might be Theodore, I leave my suitcase, and open the door.

Rather than Theodore standing in front of me, it's his sister Romana, with a rather cross look on her face.

"Okay, Missus Super Smarty. What you do to twist my brother's head around so bad?" She demands.

After the mental gymnastics I had to do thanks to her broken English and thick Italian accent, all I can answer with is

"What do you mean?"

"Che palle!" She suddenly explodes. "Don't play dumb with me, that's my brother's job. And I know you've got some plan for him that's sinister! And sure, you might not be able to handle a salmon in suspicious circumstances, but that doesn't give you the right to rain all over our mare nostrum, crumpet breath!"

Unrelenting confusion overwhelms me at the point to where I can't even formulate a proper response. All I can do is just stand and stare as Romana grabs a handful of tomatoes seemingly out of nowhere. She holds them as if she's ready to throw them at me.

"This weatherwoman is predicting a 99% chance of shit storm, and it's coming right at ya!"

In a flash, I slam the door before this situation can spiral further out of control, making sure to lock it.

I press my ear to the cold wooden door, listening to any further outside disturbances.

I hear Romana cry

"Ah! You bitch! You made me drop my tomatoes! I'll get you for this!"

And with that, I hear her stomp away in fury.

God, that woman. I still can't get over the fact that she's related to Theodore. Those two are so different! Both of Theodore's siblings seem to be so radically different, that it's hard to imagine any sort of bond between them. Feliciano at least seems nice, while Romana is nasty. Theodore seems to be somewhat in the middle.

Speaking of Theodore, I would much like to know what he said that set himself off in such a manner. To see him worked up is a rare sight indeed.

Fortunately, I took the liberty of packing an Italian-English dictionary for this trip. A quick glance, and my curiosity would be satisfied.

I return to my bag, moving a few articles of clothing to the side, exposing the book.

I pick it up, opening it.

"Si, tu sei." I mutter to myself, as I flip through the pages.

After a few moments of connecting the words. I come to the conclusion, what Theodore said that created such embarrassment through him when questioned.

It reads in the book as clear as day. The words can mean so much, but also so little.

According to the book, what Theodore says translates to 'Yes, you are.'

* * *

 **Author's Note: Well, there it is. Theodore's family has at long last been revealed!**

 **Grandiose Narcissism is nothing to laugh at, it's a mental disorder that affects the lives of those around. So, don't forget to follow and favorite to keep the monster in me at bay. And don't forget to leave a review for lil old me.**

 **Let me ask you, are you a girl, or identify as one? Do you suffer from sexual frustrations by the fact that Theodore Sempronia isn't a real person? Then, check out Nightcore Miku's Theodore Sempronia X Reader story! It's emotional, and captures the hearts and minds of all those involved. Screw that one kiwi guy, screw momo, and most definitely screw myself! It's all about Nightcore Miku, the true king of fanfiction!**


	26. An Evening With Anchovy

**Author's Note: Well boys, it looks like the majority of you are expecting some kind of cat fight between Diana and Anchovy to win Theodore's heart. Come on people, can't all our characters be happy at least once?**

 **Before we begin, let's answer a few questions made by my loyal commenters:**

" **Okay, forget what I said about Diana falling for Theodore. It's actually the other way around, right?"**

 **Could it not be both? Or maybe none of them are feeling the love tonight.**

" **Some pretty bad self-inserting here."**

 **I know right, but I just can't help but add myself in. Whenever I write Beef Mc Whatnow into the story, I can't help but see him as me. Sorry if my qualities rubbed off on that bloated character a bit more than it should.**

 **Also, it looks like the polls have been updated for who is best girl in Little Witch Academia!**

 **First Place is still Diana, this time with five votes!**

 **Second place is surprisingly Ursula with two votes!**

 **Then Akko, Sucy, and Fem Beef Mc Whatnow are tied for third with one vote each.**

 **I'll keep the poll up for anyone still interested**

* * *

"So Theodore, how much further do we have to go?" I ask him as we wander through the streets of Rome.

I only ask this due to the fact that we've been walking for about half an hour now. Of course I expected these kinds of conditions, vacations always include so much walking.

But acknowledging something and actually experiencing it are two different things entirely.

But still, I can't complain about the scenery.

A light blanket of snow covers the streets, the strength of the cold being diluted by our jackets, heat from nearby shops and bakeries providing us with some warmth. A few times now, we have passed by Roman fountains made of marble, casually spouting its water as it did many years ago. And that's how it is in this city, through and through. Old classical Roman architecture mingles with the modern day, creating a blend not seen just anywhere.

"Not much, I believe." He answers, as we continue to move forward. "But I can't be sure, I've never been there before."

"How come?" I ask.

"It's mainly for tourists. I know my way around, I don't need a tour guide. But I'll be happy to come with you." He explains.

"You did promise me a tour of Rome." I ponder to myself.

It's true, I remember yesterday when I first arrived he had made that promise.

The two of us continue to move through Rome, the fine snow making a slight crunching sound underneath our feet.

"How did the call with your friend go this morning?" I ask, attempting to engage in small talk. "While I couldn't understand due to the language barrier, you sounded fairly excited."

He smiles as he relives his morning phone call.

"Yes, it's been so long since I've heard from her. It was nice to talk to her. In fact, she's coming to Rome today. We'll meet up after the tour."

I ponder these future plans quietly to myself.

I haven't heard much about her, not even seeing a picture. Additionally, Theodore hasn't even told me what she's like. If she's anything like his older sister, I'll simply put on a happy mask, and continue through the day. But if she's a good friend of Theodore's, I'm sure we'll get along well.

As far as Theodore has told me, we're going to be escorted around Rome on a carriage while a tour guide points out significant landmarks.

I have never been on a tour such as this before. I can only wonder what it'll be like.

"There it is." I hear Theodore say, as he points forward. "That's where we wait."

In front of another antique marble fountain, a few metal benches are sprawled around.

On one of the benches is a man who looks strikingly familiar. He's what I would describe as an overweight, out of shape, balding, lonely man. And being a lonely man, he's the only one there. His fat fingers pound away at a laptop, him staring with great determination at the screen.

"Please don't tell me..." I hear Theodore's voice drift away as he too notices the man.

I stare at him until I fully recognize that individual.

"Oh my, is that the man from the plane?" I ask Theodore.

"It is. He did say that we was going on vacation in Rome. I just never thought we'd run into him."

The two of us approach him, the man being fully engaged in whatever internet activities he's chosen.

What was his name again? It was something very unusual, and yet amusingly fitting.

"Beef Mc Whatnow?" Theodore asks, slightly hesitant.

The man looks up, his whole face in a state of shock, completely flabbergasted by our presence.

"Whoa!" He screams in greeting. "It's the girl with the legs and the arms. As well as the guy with the liver and the nose the size of New Orleans."

I would like to retort this man's rather rude introduction, but facts were stated. I do indeed have legs and arms, and well as Theodore have a liver and a...well...a nose of unusual size.

The two of us, wanting to avoid this man, sit on the bench next to him, rather than being directly besides him.

"So, are you people of unknown gender waiting for the tour guide?" Beef asks us.

"Mh hmm." Theodore responds. "Are you waiting for the tour also?"

"Oh yeah!" He explodes. "My cousin, Pepperoni Mc Whatnow, is the tour guide. I get this tour for free! Isn't that lit!?"

"Lit?" I ask, not understanding.

He smiles a very wide and ugly smile, saying

"I've been trying to understand teenage slang. I figured the reason why I have such a hard time being liked is because I'm behind the times. I'm not hip, I don't get jiggy with it. In fact, I took a few classes on twerking. Do you wanna see?"

"No." Theodore responds, frowning.

Slightly saddened, Beef looks back at his laptop. After a few clicks, he beams with a new found happiness, as if he just discovered something exciting.

He looks at me specifically, asking

"Hey, have you ever been so far as to even pretend to ever want to go to do more like?"

"What?" I respond with, not understanding his question.

"Are you only a creep if you get caught?" He asks.

"What?" I repeat, still lost in confusion.

In a huff, Beef Mc Whatnow grabs his laptop, quickly getting up from his seat. Almost instantly, he sits down next to me, the whole bench shaking underneath his great weight. In my defense, I feel Theodore scoot a little closer to me.

"I was wondering if you could help me with something. I could use a woman's opinion."

My mind can only guess at what a person such as him could possibly request.

I notice his sweaty hands practically crushing his laptop with his mighty grip. He seems to be bursting at the seams with excitement. It doesn't matter how detestable someone may appear, a bit of civil behavior will make all the difference.

"What is it that you need?" I ask him.

"I'm setting up an account for a dating website, and I was just wondering if I could run it by you."

That wasn't as bad as I thought. Perhaps the sooner I give him my opinion, the sooner Theodore and I can be alone again, possibly being able to enjoy the tour in peace.

I nod at him, agreeing to his request.

He squeals in delight, the noise echoing throughout the street.

He quickly clicks around on his laptop a bit more.

"Okay..." He says, pulling up his profile. "The first question is 'What is your job?', and I answered with I make teeth for things."

Confused by his occupation, I raise an eyebrow, silently requesting him to explain.

"So, kind of like a taxidermy guy." He says. "I put dentures in. Only teeth though."

Why only teeth?

"Instead of that, perhaps just put that you work as a taxidermy man." I suggest.

"Gotcha." He mutters, tapping away at the keyboard.

"The next question is 'What's your favorite food?' Beef obviously, you stupid idiot."

I look at him, once again in question by his choice of response. This is a dating website, right?

"Too much humor?" He asks innocently.

"This isn't funny." I hear Theodore bluntly remark.

Ignoring him, Beef continues to read his self summary.

"On a typical Friday night I'm eating ribs in the tub, baby. And there's room for one more."

Once again, I question his answer with nothing more than a confused stare.

"You know, I'm trying to be a little flirty." He explains. "Just think, we can get as messy as we want, and we're already in a bathtub."

Just imagining that scene actually being carried out disturbs me.

"What else do you have?" I ask, wanting to skip that one in particular.

"They asked for any hobbies." Beef responds. "So I said, I'm playing on Stank Row with my band 'The Fart Trio'. I'm on drums."

"So music?" He asks me. "Girls like a musical guy, right?"

"Some girls like that, yeah." I agree.

He smiles, nodding his head at what he perceives as a correct answer.

He looks back to his laptop, continuing

"They asked for any notable achievements. So, I said I ate a wet newspaper for a t.v. talent show that never aired."

"If you want to be funny." I say, trying to justify the answer.

Beef's face suddenly turns serious.

"Oh it's no joke. I'm actually pretty proud of it."

As I try to imagine such a strange feat, Beef continues on.

"What would you do with an unexpected bonus from your job? I'd go ape shit at Home Town Buffet."

Before either off us can form a proper response, Beef continues.

"This one is similar to the last one." He explains. "What would you do if you won the lottery? Give it to a charity. Not! Atlantic City with my goon squad."

"This is horrible." Theodore says.

"Do you have any suggestions?" Beef asks my friend.

"Yeah, redo all of it." He says.

"That's why we're here." Beef says, looking back at his screen.

"Any major obstacles in your life?" Beef reads the next question. "They removed the lump from me, and now everything flows where it should."

"It was actually the one I showed you on the plane." Beef says, pointing at my friend.

"That, and my giant foreskin." He mutters to us, looking back at the screen.

"Beefy's got a beefy one." He explains while typing it into the answer.

After he finishes typing, he looks back to address us.

"So, on a scale from one to ten, how would you rate my dating profile."

"I'd say a strong two."

"A negative two." Theodore responds with.

"And the average of that..." Beef thinks. "Is zero."

"Whelp, I clearly have some changes to make." Beef says, before returning back to his laptop.

"Which website is this?" I ask him.

"Farmers Only. I want to be plowed." He simply replies, not even looking at us.

As Beef continues to type, we heard the sounds of heavy wheels rolling and horse shoes clanking.

Upon looks towards these sounds, we spot a horse drawn carriage approaching us with two passengers. One is the driver, and the other sits in the carriage.

It stops in front of us, with the man sitting in the carriage coming outside to greet us.

He's a large man, his entire body bearing a slight resemblance to a meatball. His long, greasy hair comes down to his shoulders, making him look like some garage band rock star.

His eyes glance past us, but seem to brighten with joy once they make contact with Beef.

"Beefy! Oh, I'm so glad you could make it!" The carriage man happily exclaims, walking up to him.

"Of course, Pepperoni." Beef answers, putting his laptop aside, and standing up. "After all, if I'm going to tour around Rome, why would I choose anyone else when I have my own cousin?"

The two exchange a quick hug, before Pepperoni takes a glance at us.

"Are you two also here for the tour?" He asks.

"Yes." Theodore answers.

"Well then..." Pepperoni smiles, before turning his back to us.

He gets back on the carriage, half of his body leaning out.

"All aboard!" He cries, like some kind of train conductor.

Beef Mc Whatnow is the first to move. As he approaches the carriage, he stops momentarily.

He proceeds to smell the air like a dog. After a few whiffs, he brings his nose to his armpit, repeating his sniffing.

In an instant, he jerks his head away, his eyes watering and his face turning a tinge of sickly green.

"I should've showered before this. Hashtag Stank!" He cries in disgust.

He quickly grabs his laptop, slinging it underneath his arm.

"I have to Pokémon Go!" He yells, before running away, rounding a city block, slipping out of sight.

"Well, that's Beef. He's always got somewhere to go." Pepperoni informs us, seemingly not bothered by his cousin's behavior.

But then again, neither are Theodore and I. I've only known Beef since I met him at the airport, and my friend seems to known him longer. Even in this limited time that I've been subjected to him, I hold Beef with little regard.

Now forgetting about Beef's departure, the two of us approach the carriage, Theodore reaching into his pocket.

"How much?" He asks, referring to the tour.

"It's five euros for each."

Theodore pulls out two five euro bills, handing them to our tour guide.

He takes the paper, and immediately tears both into tiny pieces, throwing what's left to the wind.

"Money means nothing to me." He claims.

"Okay." My friend uncomfortably responds, a frown on his face.

What is this? Based off of Pepperoni's past behavior and limited contact to his cousin, I assumed their personalities would be at least different. While that might still stand, I can see that the gene of uncouthness is hereditary. I mean, what kind of individual just throws aside money that is offered for their services? At this point, Pepperoni is now working for free.

The two of us board the carriage, us in the back, while Pepperoni takes his assigned position in the front. Only one row separates us from him.

Pepperoni begins communicating with the driver in Italian, perhaps informing him to begin.

As we wait, I turn to Theodore, wishing to engage in small talk. However, all I'm greeted with is a rather irate friend, staring ahead as he thinks whatever thoughts he bears.

But, I've been around him long enough to know plenty well about what's making him so cross at the moment.

"Oh, why even bother?" I ask him, referring to the destroyed money. "Either way, this tour was going to cost us ten euros. Who cares what happens to the money now that it's not in our possession?"

He looks back at me, his negativity a bit countered, but still shown.

"I do. I payed for this, and I don't want to see the money just discarded like nothing. My grandpa always says to never waste the money that you work for. It pained me to see him rip it up before our eyes."

"Your grandpa seems to be rather reserve when it comes to spending." I point out. "It's a shame that he gave us both the cold shoulder upon his debut."

He leans back into the seat, his cross attitude now fully dissipated.

"Well, we're having dinner with him tonight. Perhaps you can introduce yourself to him then."

Dinner with the Sempronias? While I of course expected to share meals with them, I did not anticipate the behavior of a few. His parents seem fine, and I can at least tolerate Feliciano. However, his sister doesn't appear to be very fond of me.

"Is it a family dinner?" I ask.

"Yes."

"Is Romana going to be there?" I ask, this time an audible tone of displeasure in my voice.

Theodore picks up on it.

"Of course, she is family."

I lean back in my chair, attempting to figure out how that could possibly go.

Perhaps I can try to subdue her with kindness, try to win her over with the politeness that I was raised in.

But, my mind flashes to that brief confrontation in the guest room.

I'm not sure if she chose tomatoes because they are a notorious item to throw at witches, or if it was just coincidence.

Not to indulge myself in stereotypes, but we are in Italy after all. Tomatoes are a staple food here.

My thoughts on this matter end, as the carriage begins to move.

The wheels and horseshoes make their mutually iconic noises, as parade through the streets of Rome.

We pass by multiple gift shops, bakeries, fancy restaurants, and other tourist traps.

We continue on through this modern side of the city, and begin to spot more and more ancient wonders.

More and more of these elegant fountains from the past cross our path, still spouting off its water. Snow continues to shed thin blankets on the ground, sometimes mingling with the fountain water itself.

One of these ancient constructions would not look out of place in the Sempronia's home. Honestly, they probably already have one or two.

The wind blows a cold breeze passed us, chilling my face.

I spot another creation, this time it's definitely no fountain. It's a statue made out of pure white marble, almost completely matching the ground that's covered in snow of similar color.

It appears to be a statue of a man, dressed in an iconic toga, holding what appears to be a scroll.

I look over at Theodore, curious for his judgement at this sight. However, his eyes just cast by each marble construction without another thought.

Well, that is to be expected. He has lived here his entire life, and probably bear witness to these ancient relics every single day. It's only natural that these creations, no matter how much Roman pride Theodore might hold, would begin to lose their magic after some time.

I am curious as to what individual that statue represents. Well, we did hire a tour guide, so why not take advantage of our investment?

I look over at him, asking

"And what is-"

I stop, as I notice Pepperoni staring off into the distance, his eyes not even in focus.

"One last ride, then it's night night forever." He mutters, a certain calm in his tone.

I glance at Theodore, a slight look of concern in my eyes.

He glances back, but rather than concern, he shows confusion.

Neither of us can interpret the words of the man, and neither of us want to, for fear of your minds coming to a grim conclusion.

"Let me tell you something." Pepperoni chimes. "I need these rides."

"And why is that?" I ask, both of us now looking at our tour guide.

"I come on these rides to get away from my skanky step daughters."

"You know, I didn't raise them, so you have to deal with what you're given." He continues his description. "But, the way they dress and...the photos...super skanky."

I uncomfortably look away from the man, now towards the streets. On the sidewalk, I spot another statue.

It's of another toga wearing man, this time riding a chariot similar to our own. The marble man is also doing a Roman salute.

"And what does that statue represent?" I ask, wanting to abandon the past conversation.

He sees where I'm pointing, and eyes the statue. After a few moments of analysis, he says

"Right there is the best spot in the city to get a Roman Blowhole."

I frown at his worthless description.

Well then, he is definitely not living up to his tour guide title. I wonder if everyone with the surname Whatnow behaves in such a manner as the two I've already seen.

Suddenly, I hear a loud ringing, and in an instant I see Pepperoni pulling out his phone.

"Hello?" He asks, addressing the caller.

I hear indescribable noises. coming from the phone.

"Hey dad, I'm in the middle of a tour." Pepperoni answers back.

More language comes from the phone.

"Yeah, I'll be home later."

More sounds, this time in a slightly angered tone.

"Alright, you little bitch."

More dialog comes from the phone.

"I did say bitch. First you were mom's bitch, now you're my bitch, bitch."

Calmness returns in Pepperoni's dad's voice, as he continues with the conversation.

"Yeah, Christmas is just a week away, bitch. What do you want for Christmas, bitch?"

More noise, what I can only guess being the dad deciding his gifts.

"Bye bitch."

And with that, Pepperoni ends the call, returning his phone to his pocket.

A moment of silence now envelops the carriage, the only sounds being horseshoes hitting the cement road.

This man, Pepperoni Mc Whatnow, well what can I say? It's almost as if words cannot express the powerful wave of confusion and concerns crashing down on us. Thankfully, words need not be spoken, for the madness within the Whatnows is self evident. A mere child could discern the differences between a regular person, and one of them.

Pepperoni looks back at us, face swearing with worry and regret.

"You know what, fuck this." He mutters, before suddenly hopping out the carriage.

He continues to run down the street until he disappears out of sight, continuing to curse all the while.

The driver, noticing this, looks back at us.

"Well, that's Pepperoni, so unpredictable."

That's an understatement! It's like whatever was being processed in his mind had just blown up without warning.

The driver then stops the carriage by the sidewalk, and says

"Go on, tour's over. No refunds."

After a moment of him staring blankly at us, the both of us realize this is no joke.

We both quietly exit the carriage, both of us in such a state of confusion that we can't hope to protest. The driver suddenly races down the road.

Only now, that I can see the backside of the carriage, do I see a sign saying

'Thanks Fo' Yo Money, Suckas!'

It then rounds a city block, never to be seen again.

"Well, that was a rather horrid waste of time." I bluntly remark.

So far, the day has been wasted with the Whatnow cousins.

"I think that was a scam." I hear Theodore suggest.

I turn to him, asking

"Shall we file a report?"

He shakes his head.

"No, it's fine. That carriage ride was kind of amusing." He stops to glance at his watch. "Anyway, it's 2:53, I told my friend we'd meet her at three."

"Your native friend?"

"Yes, my native friend. I'd also consider her my first friend."

"I never did ask you her name."

A thin sheepish smile grows on his lips, as he faintly scratches the back of his head.

"Well, as a child, I could never pronoun her name. So, I gave her a nickname, and it just stuck."

I raise an eyebrow.

"And just what was this nickname?"

He sighs, still a little embarrassed.

"It's Anchovy."

* * *

The two of us walk through the streets of Rome, heading towards Theodore's designated meeting spot.

In this meantime of walking, I might as well engage in discourse with my friend. Maybe I can learn even more about his.

"So, how long have you known Anchovy?" I ask, using the nickname provided.

"Since my early childhood. Like I said, she was my first friend." He responds.

Childhood bonds that have lasted into adolescence tend to be strong.

"What is she like? Her personality, I mean."

He thinks for a bit, before saying

"I'd say she's nice and strong willed. Think of a mix of Akko and Amanda, with a bit more of an advanced vocabulary."

I give a slight frown at this.

"Well, that doesn't sound very good."

As far as I concerned, those two in question don't hold a very good opinion of me.

"So, where are we meeting at? I don't remember you mentioning."

"I don't think I did. It's just a little pizza place that Anchovy and I would hang out at. We should come upon it at any moment now."

A pizza place, huh? How Italian.

Just as Theodore stated, in a few moments, a pizza place comes into sight.

It's small, but practical, positioned at the front of the street, allowing any drivers passing by to notice. A few tables lie outside, abandoned due to the cold. Several huge windows would allow us to see inside if they weren't fogged up from the winter weather.

Theodore approaches the building, and I follow his lead.

Theodore opens the door, a bell ringing overhead to signal the arrival of new costumers.

"After you." He says, holding it open.

I smile at his act, following his instructions and entering, him soonly following.

The warmth from the multiple actives ovens, and perhaps a nearby heater, hit me hard. A welcoming change to the coldness of the outside. Speaking of ovens, the smell of baking pizza and those freshly created mingle to create a rather nice odor. A nearby radio playes a light song, naturally spoken in Italian. Conversations coming from the patrons drown out most of it, leaving the song nothing more than insignificant background music.

Theodore gazes around the restaurant a bit before letting loose a wide grin.

"Ah, there she is." He says, pointing to her.

In the corner of the building, a lone girl sits by one of the fogged up windows, waiting our arrival.

Theodore instinctively moves towards her, and I soon follow. As we get closer, her appearance comes into view.

She has reddish brown eyes, and grey hair tied into two long ponytails by black ribbons.

She doesn't appear to have seen us.

"Anchovy!" I hear Theodore call out.

Upon hearing her nickname, Anchovy gazes into the direction of the sound.

As her eyes make contact with her long time friend, her once bored expression immediately transforms into one of pure joy, with a hint of excitement.

"Theodore!" She responds, standing up to greet us.

I note that she is shorter than both Theodore and I.

As the three of us draw near, the finer and more grisly features of Theodore become apparent.

"What happened to your face!?" She shockingly demands, a certain amount of bluntness in her voice.

While I expected Theodore to resort to his usual lie on this matter, what he says next surprises me.

"I got into a fight near the school. Please don't worry about it. It's been taken care of, and handled. I think it happened a few months ago."

He looks over at me, asking

"It was a few months, right?"

I nod, saying

"I believe it was."

The two of us look back at Anchovy, who now appears to be skeptical, with a hint of caution.

"Well, if it's all taken care of, then I suppose it's just some nitty gritty detail that you don't want to be brought up."

Theodore nods.

"I don't want it to ruin the moment."

Anchovy smirks confidently, saying

"But if you have any future problems with this mystery man, do not hesitate to find me! I guarantee to you that I will not lose! I mean, I will win!"

Theodore flashes a smile at her, and Anchovy follows this pattern. The two Italians have both seemed to cast away the previous conversation, now reverting to a warm welcome.

She turns to me.

"Greetings, you must be Theodore's friend from school! My name is Anchovy, his lifelong friend! Pleased to meet you." She greets me, her hand outstretched in a handshake.

While her voice was loud, it was not in the same consistency as someone like Akko. It was more like a bold statement, made by a dictator towering over her people.

I accept her offer, sharing with her my own introduction.

"Hello Anchovy, my name is Diana. It's nice to meet you."

After our exchange, Theodore's friend points behind her with a thumb, saying

"I took the liberty of saving us seats. Follow me."

Now it is both Theodore and I that follow, as Anchovy takes us to the booth she was previously sitting at.

Theodore is the first to slide in, taking the fogged up window seat.

As I'm about to join him, Anchovy slides in, taking the only spot next to him.

Neither of them notice, as she playfully slings an arm around Theodore, laughing.

"Just like old times, huh?"

He joins in with a smile.

I wanted that seat...

Sighing to myself, I take a position in the opposing seat, now facing the two.

I watch on as the two continue their playful chatter.

Clearly Anchovy must have some kind of strong bond with Theodore. This fact might have been already stated by my friend, but it was certainly reinforced by his own actions.

The most groundbreaking piece of proof was most definitely Theodore's response to her question concerning his scarring.

While it is to be noted that he left out the part concerning a Roman god, a piece of evidence that he has only shared with Lotte and I, he still went above and beyond the status quo of his answering. He even left his own family in the dark, not trusting them with this precious information. A very strong bond indeed.

"May I take your order?"

I'm snapped out of my deep thinking as I hear this.

Looking up, I see a waiter, pen and clipboard in hand, awaiting our request.

Theodore looks at me, asking

"What do you want, Diana?"

Before I have time to give my suggestion, I hear Anchovy say

"I'll have a cheese pizza."

Theodore now looks at her, asking

"Isn't that your favorite?"

She nods, saying

"Affirmative."

Our mutual friend looks back at the waiter, saying

"We'd like a large cheese pizza please."

He writes down his order, asking

"Anything to drink?"

"We'll have three waters."

He finishes copying down Theodore's words, before leaving to the kitchen.

A cheese pizza? That wasn't quite what I was going to recommend, but I suppose that's okay too.

It seems as though Theodore was interested in my food recommendation, allowing me to chose first, that is until Anchovy decided to give her thoughts.

The two Italians decide to engage themselves in their own conversation, leaving me alone.

At least they're speaking in English, so I can follow along.

"So Theodore, you told her to call me Anchovy?" She asks, a sly grin as if planning something.

"I did. What of it?"

Her smirk grows.

"Did you also tell her the second nickname you had for me?"

Instantly, Theodore's face turns a light red.

"Oh, come on! I haven't called you that since we were little!" He protests, his embarrassment shown clear as day.

"Go on and tell her." Anchovy requests, nudging him in the side, grin forever visible.

"I refuse."

"Come on." She insists.

"It's embarrassing."

"That's why I want you to say it."

"I'd like to know." I inform him.

Upon hearing this, he lets out a defeated sigh, muttering

"It was...it was Duce."

I suppress a giggle.

Really, Duce? The Italian word for leader?

"Oh yes, you should've seen him when we were kids." Anchovy recollects. "I can sill see it now. Wherever I went, I heard the cries of 'Duce! Duce! Duce!'" She exclaims, pretending to be Theodore.

"Awww, how cute." I smile.

I hear Theodore moan, before leaning against his seat.

"So, how have you been?" Anchovy asks. "A magical school in England must be different than here."

He sits back up, saying

"It definitely wasn't what I expected. I'll admit, when I first entered, I thought I'd fly through the ranks, leaving everyone behind. While my grades are above average, I've never been the best."

"That's not true." I bring up. "You're quite good at destruction magic. When we took the AP entrance exam, you were able to produce a flame of almost double the average power."

Theodore smiles at my compliment, his past embarrassment now gone with the wind.

"Can you perform some magic for me?" Anchovy asks, a little excitement in her voice. "I'd love a little show."

"I can't do any spells outside of the range The Sorcerer's Stone." Theodore admits. "It supplies magic to witches and wizards who can't create their own, like me."

Theodore is normally not the one to admit flaws, and when he does, it's often a quick and vague confession. Perhaps Theodore just so comfortable around Anchovy that he wouldn't even hesitate. Those two are definitely very close.

"What about you?" Anchovy asks me, referring to my magical capabilities.

"While I can, airport security wouldn't allow the transportation of our wands. We left them behind."

Theodore nods, confirming my statement.

"So, have you made any other friends at this school, besides Diana." Anchovy asks him.

"I've made a few. There are four main friends, with three minor."

"Im guessing she's one of the main?" She asks, pointing at me.

Theodore nods.

"So, are there any boys in your new circle of friendship?" She asks.

"No, they're all girls." He answers back.

"Come on, Theodore." Anchovy disapproves. "The only guy friend you have is your older brother, and before the magic school, I was your only friend! When are you going to branch out?"

Our mutual friend scratches the back of his head, slightly embarrassed by the truth of the matter.

"Well...it's kind of an all girl's school."

She narrows her eyebrows in question.

"An all girl's school? I didn't even know a boy could join."

"It's definitely an anomaly." Theodore agrees.

"I'm still curious. Just how did you manage to join?"

"Well, I was already signed up from their website. To remove me from the records might've been more a hassle then it's worth."

"Also, the school is currently having financial troubles." I point out. "That could've played a role."

"I remember that website." Anchovy recalls. "You told me about it before you left."

"Still though..." She continues her questioning. "After browsing the website, you still didn't realize it was only for girls? You didn't research the school at all?"

"I didn't." He replies, shrugging his shoulders. "I guess I was just too excited to notice."

She smirks at him, saying

"You need to be more observant."

Our current conversation comes to an end, as the waiter returns.

"Here's your large cheese pizza." He says, setting it down on our table.

"And three glasses of water."

He sets those down as well.

"Would that be all?" The waiter asks.

"Yes, thank you every much." Theodore responds.

Anchovy and I also say our thanks, and the waiter leaves.

The three of us each grab a slice of the pizza, laying it down on our respective plates.

We begin to consume our individual slices, all the while continuing our conversation.

"And which school do you go to?" I ask her, taking a bite of the food.

"I go to Anzio Girls High School." She responds, also eating a corner of her slice.

So, she goes to an all girl's school as well?

While it's certainly not as magical as Luna Nova, I can still wonder how her educational establishment is fairing.

"How is the school?" I ask.

"It's a fairly big academy, beautiful, almost like a college. As spacious as one too."

"Although it's underfunded..." She continues. "We still enjoy a variety of different clubs, some very rare to other schools."

"Like what?" I ask.

Anchovy smirks, saying

"The most obvious being The Tankery Club."

I blink a few times, my mind not being able to fully processing this strange phrase.

"Tankery Club?"

"Pretty abnormal, huh?" Theodore asks, grinning at me in solidarity. "Definitely something not of the status quo when it comes to school activities."

Anchovy snorts.

"Says the guy from an all girl's magic school!"

This sudden but accurate fact sends a laughing fit between Theodore and I.

After the joke has subsided, and a few more bite of pizza follow, I ask

"So, how would a school even host a tank club? And how does it work?"

"It's just like any other school club. We designate a time of day, and occupy ourselves with learning about tanks." She explains.

Oh, for a second I thought they-

"We also compete against other schools from around the world. For example, Anzio high just participated in a match against Ooarai Girls High School."

So that's it? It's just as I thought when the words 'Tankery Club' were first uttered to me. No wonder why Anchovy's school is underfunded, half of there budget must go into that one club alone! How much is the cost of one tank? Too much for a school to fund, that's for sure.

"And what was the outcome?" I ask.

"Well, we lost." She mutters, not at all enthused by reliving that detail.

She suddenly snaps back with an energetic burst.

"Oh well, it isn't just about the battle! After the match, we show our appreciation for the participants and staff involved. This, my friend, is the Anzio way!"

"And what way is that?" I ask.

"Our school is no slouch when it comes to fine cuisine!" She then mutters to herself. "If only that enthusiasm my fellow students had on food were somehow translated into matches..."

"So, are there any clubs at your school worth noting?" Anchovy asks me, now forgetting her ill equipped staff. "I'm sure a magic school has much to offer."

"There is the Luna Nova News Network. I think there's also a Destruction Magics Club, as well as one for alchemy."

"There's a Destruction Magics Club?" Theodore asks.

"I'm quite sure. I believe it's hosted by Faralda."

"I'll look into that once our vacation is over." He claims, taking the final bite from his food.

Speaking of that, I look down at my own plate, only now noticing it's bear of food.

So is Anchovy's, and even the main pizza plate itself, the only thing left being a thin layer of grease.

I look outside the window, me forgetting that it's still fogged, but that doesn't matter. Even with this winter veil blocking my vision, I can still tell that there's less light outside than before. It must be the late afternoon.

"It's getting late." I point out to the two with me.

Theodore takes a glance at the window, also noticing the light disparity.

"My parents are expecting us home soon. We're having dinner with them tonight." He says to me.

Anchovy sighs.

"Already? I suppose time really does fly when you're spending it with your best friend."

After Theodore leaves our total costs on the table, the three of us leave the building.

After spending that length of time in a hot restaurant, the coldness of the winter night air hits me.

I blow my breath into my hands.

"Its unfortunate that you have to leave now." Anchovy says. "I was hoping that we'd have more time together."

"I was too." Theodore agrees, smiling at his friend. "Still thought, it was wonderful to see you again."

Anchovy takes a few steps closer to him, saying

"I agree. We should meet up more before winter break ends."

"Definitely." Theodore says, also approaching her.

I feel my face become fairly warm, even under this night air.

Oh my, their faces...they're so close together. Why, with just one nudge, they'd be-

The two embrace in a hug, a tight hug, something with even more passion then what he met his family with.

Did he even hug his family? If I remember right, only Feliciano had such treatment, and it was only after he knocked Theodore to the ground.

The two Italians continue their embrace, still with that spark of passion.

It's strange that Theodore would show this amount of affection to someone, while is family received a subpar sample.

And what especially got to me was how Theodore so quickly and so easily told Anchovy about the nature of his scarring.

Sure, the source character of this happening was left under the rug. But still, Theodore didn't even bother to tell his family the truth.

The two Italians finally end their embrace, Anchovy now approaching me.

"It was very nice to meet you." She says, grabbing my hand in a handshake. "As Theodore's lifelong friend, I approve of the relationship between you two."

"Well, um...thank you."

Anchovy and Theodore exchange a nod, smiling at each other.

Then, the two part ways, Anchovy and Theodore walking in opposition directions, while I follow my friend.

Perhaps maybe a distance of fifteen feet at best separates us, before Theodore suddenly spins around, waving his hand, shouting

"Goodbye Anchovy, have a wonderful night!"

At this point, nighttime darkness has won, as my friend has only shouted into the empty void.

However, both of hear a familiar disembodied voice.

"You too Theodore! Until we meet again!"

And with that, no more words are exchanged, as the two of us remaining continue our walk through the snow covered streets on our way back to Theodore's house, the lights of nearby stores and bakeries allowing ample light.

I must admit, at night, the city of Rome is quite romantic.

Even with all these warm emotions, I can't help but battle the chilly air.

I suppose the natural coldness of the night, as well as the harsh powers of winter must be taking its toll on me.

Once again, I blow into my cold hands, all the while a slight chill crawls up my spine, causing me to visibly shiver.

Theodore takes note of this.

"Are you cold?" He asks me.

"A little." I respond, a visible discomfort in my voice.

I hear the sound of a zipper, and soon feel extra weight added to myself.

Turning towards him in question, I spot Theodore, now jacketless, placing this article of clothing onto me.

"There you are..." He mutters, getting it in a satisfactory position.

"W-what is this?" I ask him, a growing blush beginning to ward off the cold.

"Kindness to a good friend." He responds, smiling.

Without any further words, Theodore resumes his walk, me following close behind him.

With a cold hand, I grab the empty sleeve of Theodore's jacket, now around me like some kind of cape.

I smile a gentle smile at this act of affection.

Quite romantic indeed.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Well, I hope I didn't upset anyone for not writing in Diana and Anchovy having a bikini mud fight for Theodore's affection. Oh well, that'll be something for the next anniversary special…**

 **Also, don't forget to follow and fav, as well as a comment, means so much to me that my work is loved by all of you.**

 **Momoxtoshiro and that kiwi guy may have more followers than me, but I have something they don't, something that was only a dream to me...until now.**

 **That's right boys and girls, a very special somepony has taken the liberty to drawing some fanart! I know right, I'll let that sink in. Real fanart, from a real adoring fan.**

 **It's on DeviantArt, if any of you boys are brave enough to delve into that godless website. His username is ThouthineaThoth, so feel free to enjoy his works! He's only posting more and more as time progresses.**

 **But, this man of greatness doesn't go by just that name. He also goes by the fanfiction name WaywardBot, so make sure to check out his Little Witch Academia fanfiction. Tell him that Roman sent you.**


	27. A Sempronian Family History

**Author's Note: Well boys and girls, you may be wondering how in such a short amount of time I was able to write so much. Well, the answer is simple. Like any good Capitalist, I understand that finding more effective ways of doing things is for the best. And so, I came up with an ingenious new strategy of how to write my story. Since I first started this story, I've been writing the chapters on my phone. Now I use my laptop, much faster!**

 **However, while I'm happy with my story it seems as though someone has a differing opinion! And from a Diakko obsessed man no less!**

" **Ehhhhh. The more I read this the more I find myself thinking on just how much Diana belongs with Akko, and not wish fulfillment gary stu like OC's. Sorry, but I didn't really like this. The writing is decent at least, but this premise is not my cup of tea."**

 **Yes of course, because as everyone knows, I just love to beat up and try to harm little kids who have a different opinion! Truly, nothing makes me happier than writing a story for over a year, and only beginning to have romance! That's a real sign of a self insert, Gary Sue, Mary Sue, wish fulfillment, yaoi!**

 **Oh and, before you lynch this man for his blasphemy against Papa Roman, just know that some people loves me.**

" **This is a very well-written chapter ! I have to congratulate you for working so hard! Plus, I'm looking forward to the dinner with Theodore's family."**

" **waw... thats creativity"**

 **Also, I think I need to quit my story now, because someone just predicted this entire arc!**

" **PLOT TWIST:romana gets revenge on diana by blocking her balcony view which forces diana to jump of it and ted hangs himself because he never got to climax with diana and feliciano takes his place in luna nova were hanna and barbera seduce him."**

 **I think he hacked into my summary list.**

 **Now, before we finally start this chapter, I'll send an update for the polls.**

 **First place we have Diana with six votes, second place we have Ursula with four, and then Akko, Sucy, and Fem Beef Mc Whatnow are all tied with one vote.**

 **And if you don't know already, be sure to check out ThouthineaThoth on Deviantart. This great man is making some fine fanarts of this fanfic.**

* * *

In the mirror, I delicately comb my blonde hair.

This is just one of many steps I've taken to prepare myself for the dinner.

Even though I've been to many formal dinners in the past, this one in particular has some sort of meaning to me.

Despite the coldness I've been exposed to by a few members of the Sempronia household, I have to remember that they did invite me in to stay. This decision was not just made on any day, but during Christmas Break, a time of family at that!

Out of the entire family, only two have shown a questionable side to them. The most obvious being Theodore's older sister, Romana. I'm not quite sure what has caused her to express such emotions, but like it or not, I'll be living underneath the same roof as her. It would be best if I at least tried to get along with her.

The same logic can be applied to Theodore's grandpa, Roma. While my only encounter with that man was apathetically brief, it was only that, a brief encounter. I'm sure there's more to him than I've already been exposed to. Tonight will surely be an opportunity for that matter.

Theodore's parents both seem relatively good, nothing to complain about with those two.

Then there's Feliciano. He's a little overwhelming, but he does seem to love his brother, and the two of us can at least get along decently.

Overall, I predict that this dinner may help myself come into better understandings with the Sempronias. I'm sure that I'll return to bed more well rounded than before.

A knocking suddenly comes from my chamber door.

"Dinner will be starting shortly." I hear a familiar voice call out.

It's Theodore's mom.

"I'll be out momentarily." I chime to the door.

I take a few more sweeps of the comb, my hair finally reaching my liking.

I return the comb back to my table, moving towards the door.

Before I exit, I stop, taking one last look in the mirror.

For dinner, I abandoned the clothing that I was previously wearing when Theodore introduced me to Anchovy, preferring a simple light blue dress. A small belt is fastened around my waist, securing the dress to myself. Additionally, the sleeves are non existing, my bare shoulders exposed. My freshly combed hair drapes down my neck, a rather soft look to it. Overall, I believe that I'm looking quite elegant tonight.

But, I wonder what Theodore thinks?

I have to admit, while deciding my wardrobe I couldn't help but wonder that very question. I pondered dressing in green, as I remember he did tell me a while ago that he was fond of that color. While I sadly did not bring a green dress with me, I do recall Theodore and I, right before Luna Nova's Witch Parade, having that moment where the two of us simply stared absentmindedly into each other's eyes. I'm sure wearing a dress that matches the the color of my eyes will please him to some degree.

As I open my chamber door, I'm met with Theodore's older brother.

"Ciao Diana, you're looking so lovely!" He cheerfully greets me.

I give a brief smile at him, saying

"Hello Feliciano, good to see you again. Will you be participating in tonight's dinner?"

"Of course, of course! After all, I heard mama made pasta! I can't wait! I love pasta!"

One of the hallway doors swings open. Romana walks out, her hair unkempt, and eyes glassy, obviously sleeping just a few moments ago.

"Will ya keep your screaming down? I'm trying to get in a little sleep before dinner."

As she notices me, Romana instantly sprouts to life, fiercely pointing at me.

"Hey there Hottie Patottie, I got a little surprise for you!"

I can only imagine what she means. Best case scenario, she's attempting to rekindle our relationship with an apology gift.

"What is it?" I ask her.

She squints her eyes at me, malicious joy curving into a thin smirk

"I have created a secret weapon for such singular purpose and stealthiness that you will be helpless to its powers."

She reaches into her pocket, pulling out some hairy object, sort of looking like a caterpillar.

Holding it out for me to see, it slightly covers her face.

"Mustache." Romana proudly declares.

She suddenly breaks out into mocking laughter, sneering

"Ah ha ha ho ho! You look so very stupid, with your big bushy mustache! Like some hipster at a highschool party! Ha ha ha!"

As she continues her laughter, I can't help but notice a flaw in her grand strategy.

"You do realize that it looks like that your wearing the mustache from where I'm standing?" I ask her.

Immediately after hearing my question, Romana tosses her fake mustache aside.

Her face becomes physically constrained by embarrassment as she covers her face, sobbing

"Turn your head! No! Don't look! I'm so ugly!".

Seeing his sister in such pain, Feliciano walks over to her, cautiously saying

"Don't cry Romana. Diana doesn't care about your mustache, she's really a nice guy, trust me."

He smiles as he begins to recount examples, some that I have no idea the origin of.

"She's really helpful when it's to her advantage and she certainly knows how to keep things organized. Plus, she's strong, and pretty, and whiter than any of us! And that has got to count for something in this day and age, at least for keeping liquor stores out of your neighborhood. Also, British people sound real funny! And laughing is good for the heart!"

Hearing such statements, Romana tiredly looks at her younger brother, a tinge of desperation in her tear stained eyes.

"Feliciano…" She whispers.

A few snifles later, and she continues.

"Just once, would you say nice things about me like that?"

Visibly not being able to conjure kind words to her, he takes a few steps back, leaving Romana on her own, much to her horror.

"I hate you so much!" She cries before quickly retreating back into her room, slamming the door.

"Where are you going Romana?" He innocently asks her.

Well, that was surely an interesting encounter with her. I'm sure that that didn't help our relationship at all.

As if nothing happened, Feliciano turns back to me, a bright smile on his face.

"Let's go to dinner. It's almost ready!"

"What about Romana?" I ask him, pointing at her possibly locked door.

"She just needs a little time to cool off. Romana wouldn't miss dinner."

He then takes off like a child, gleefully running down the hall.

"Come on, I can already smell the pasta!" He cries out joyfully.

The grown man continues to charge down the hall, his arms raised in the simulation of an airplane.

How is Theodore related to him?

I continue to walk down the hallway, eventually making my way to the dining room.

There seems to be three people already present at the table.

At closest to me is Theodore's father, and his mother. The man sits at one of the heads of the table, while his wife seems to be just finishing laying out the food.

On the table is an assortment of breads, fruits, vegetables, wines, and pastas. In the center, as if some edible cornucopia, a platter of lasagna proudly sits.

At the farthest head of the table sits grandpa Roma. He seems to be detached from the rest as he stares at some of the paintings that line the walls, visible boredom on his face.

Theodore's mother is the first to notice me.

"My, that's a beautiful dress." She compliments, taking a seat next to her husband.

I smile at this.

"Why, thank you. Is Theodore here?" I ask them.

"He must still be getting ready." His father claims.

I nod at their answering.

Well, while I wait I may as well take a seat.

I do just that, noticing all the cutlery in front of me.

An assortment of knives, forks, and spoons greet me, all neatly wrapped up with a silk napkin. The silverware are all placed on a finely polished plate, it looks to be made of china. A crystal wine glass sits besides the plate, ready to be used.

Remembering what Theodore said yesterday, I take a glance at Roma.

As my friend previously stated, that man does indeed have silverware made from actual silver.

I hear footsteps coming from the hallway I just entered from.

Hoping that it's Theodore, I turn around.

Sadly, I am only met with his sister, herself now looking more representable.

Perhaps this may be a good opportunity for the two of us to hopefully come together. Like I stated earlier, I'm going to have to send two weeks with her, us getting along will definitely be a positive.

"I saved you a seat next to me." I tell her, pointing at the empty chair in question.

Romana face visibly contorts to a look that contains both puzzlement and disgust.

"Ah, thanks a million! Next time, why not just stab me in the chest with a spatula?!" She demands.

Before I can even form any sort of answer, continues her past course, taking a seat at the far end of the table, next to Roma.

Well, I believe I can say that that attempt was a major failure. Perhaps I should give up now, and just focus on my vacation.

Once again, the sounds of footsteps are heard from the hallway behind me.

Well, only Theodore and his brother aren't present.

I just hope this time it truly is my friend.

I turn around once again, seeing that it is them both.

I pay my attention to Theodore.

"Ah there you are. I was hoping you'd make your appearance soon." I greet him, a light smile on my face.

In response, he flashes a smile at me, before addressing the entire room.

"Sorry we're late. Feliciano had problems tying his shoes."

"Again?" Romana groans.

"Hey, it wasn't my fault! The leather laces are too rough for my hands!" Feliciano defensively cries, more embarrassed than angry.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" His sister sarcastically grunts. "We all know that you just don't know how to tie your shoes!"

As Feliciano opens his mouth, his father intervenes.

"Be that as it may, at least we're all here now."

Theodore nods to his father, taking a seat next to me.

As my friend is about to say something, perhaps a greeting, Feliciano quickly takes the other seat besides me.

"Hello, pretty woman!" He warmly greets me, wildly flailing his hand in a wave.

I'm now sandwiched between the Italian brothers.

Seeing that his sons have both taken their seats, Mr. Sempronia turns his attention to Roma, asking

"So father, may we begin?"

Theodore's grandpa gives an absent minded nod in response.

With his approval, the whole dinner table stirs to life.

All hands turn to motion, as every plate of food becomes passed around the table. Over this time, my previously empty plate is filled with an assortment of bread rolls, several different soups, and varieties of fruits. It sort of reminds me of an ant colony, everyone knows their part, and carries it out with no mistakes. All plates are passed without a loss in stride.

As the pasta plate is eventually passed to Feliciano, his eyes widen, and if my eyes aren't fooling me, I believe I see a drip of drool running down his chin.

He looks at me, a huge smile on his face.

"Hey, this feeling inside of me...you'll listen to me, won't you?"

Well, this is a rather strange question to ask me.

"Why wouldn't I?" I ponder to him.

"To my huge…"

Huge what?

"Huge…"

I'm starting to feel a bit uncomfortable.

"Love…"

I mentally give a sigh of relief, happy that his next word wasn't the one I feared.

"For pasta!"

For some unknown reason, Feliciano puts one hand flat against his chest, and another outstretched to the sky, and begins to sing.

"I love pasta, you see-"

"Don't start that again." A sudden voice commands, annoyance deep seated.

All of us turn to the direction of the complaint, at the back end of the table, where Romana and Roma are.

Well, that voice was quite certainly masculine. It belonged to Roma.

The elder man continues to silently stare at Feliciano, an oppressive stare that diwindles his happy demenior to nothing more than a quivering mess.

Once satisfied by his own grandson's discomfort, Roma casually takes a sip of his wine, as if nothing happened.

An uneasy silence follows shortly.

I admit, sometimes I can be rather annoyed by Feliciano and his antics. However, to simply subdue one's own grandson with such a glare would make even a child cry.

However, I have to remember, this was an act that was carried out to simply keep the peace.

I understand that this is dinner, and should be treated as such. And I also do understand the behaviors of Theodore's brother.

"So Romana, how was work today?" Mr. Sempronia asks, attempting to ward off this veil of quiet.

As if all is forgotten, Romana makes a wild smirk at me.

"Hey, Diana! We were able to harvest a hell of a lot of tomatoes again this year, jackass!"

This was stated as if I was supposed to be jealous, or perhaps maybe even be impressed by her feat.

I notice that her plate contains no bread or soups, only pasta and whole tomatoes.

I suppose she must really them. Well, at least I can take comfort in the fact that she tried to pelt me with tomatoes yesterday not because I'm a witch, but because they were just convenient to her.

This may be a good opportunity to try to at least show some kindness to Romana. If I can pierce just a little bit, maybe I can expose her heart to friendship. It would definitely make this vacation all the more easier.

Honestly, the only reason I'm doing this is because she's Theodore's sister.

I force out a fake smile, saying

"I'm happy to hear that. I wish you the best of luck on your next harvest."

Romana frowns at my refusal to show anger, muttering to herself as she bites into her food.

I turn my attention back to Feliciano, wondering if he's still in his depressed state from before.

Thankfully, it seems as the sad thoughts have passed, as he happily tears through his pasta, albeit rather uncouthly.

Strange, he seems to be absolutely sawing away at his food, as if in his own little world. Here, nothing can harm Feliciano, as he continues to eat till his heart's content.

A sudden but curious thought flashes through my mind. It is a thought that can easily be wrong, but also isn't based off of nothing.

I heard that many people when faced with uncomfortable situations will resort to gorging themselves with food in order to alleviate the pain. The furious craving that I see before me did not happen until after Roma made his grandson feel discomfort and fright with nothing more than a could be the situation that is occuring at the moment.

However, I am no fool when it comes to the desires of Feliciano. This could just be the result of his own love for pasta, and not any external factors.

But still...

I don't know why, but I just get a disturbed feeling whenever I think about Roma. It seems as though that man is on a different wavelength than the rest of us. Even in the sea of abnormal behavior demonstrated by the rest of the Sempronias, his stands out. It's not for what he said, or how he acted, but the lack of the two previously mentioned.

I've only ever heard him utter one sentence, and it was directed at me. Although his message was to welcome me to the house, it was the absence of emotion that destroyed whatever point he was trying to get passed me.

However, I cannot rule out the fact that I have only been here for one day. That length of time would limit my opportunities to engage in discourse with Roma. Besides, due to his advanced age, the elder may very well be on a much broader sleep schedule than I. I can also not rule out what Theodore said about him. He has only described Roma as a great man, stating only words of kindness.

Oh for goodness sakes, I'm just not sure what to feel. The three, Romana, Roma, and Feliciano are definitely quite odd when it comes to family relations. All three have personalities that vary greatly from each other. All three have flaws, and all three have alibis to justify such impressions left on me. Well, everyone but Romana. I'm still not sure what has caused her to be so hostile to me.

"So son, how was your time with your friend?" His father asks, referring to Anchovy.

A thin smile grows on Theodore's face, as he recounts the past events.

"It was very nice. I hope to see her again at least one more time before Diana and I return to Luna Nova."

His mother looks at me.

"How did you two get along?" She asks.

"I feel as though it went well." I answer back "I agree with Theodore, seeing her again before our departure wouldn't be a bad idea."

She nods, satisfied by my conclusion.

As Feliciano continues to consume his meal, a splotch of pasta grease lands on my blue dress, staining it.

As if death himself has come for Feliciano, the Italian quickly stands up, his whole body shaking in fear as his eyes begin to water. He folds his hands together, as if praying for me to end an intense pain that I caused.

"Oh no, I'm sorry! It was an accident, an accident, an accident!"

The whole table stops eating, all eyes on Feliciano.

"Please don't shoot me! I'm too young to die, and what if I don't die, but am just mortally wounded, and forced to lie there in misery in a pool of my own blood?! Please, I'll do anything...well I mean within reason! I don't want to diiiiiiie!"

He begins to quiver, collapsing to the ground, holding back his tears as he continues.

"I mean seriously, I'm a virgin. Where do you think they get virgin olive oil from? We're as pathetic enough as it it. I apologize for the food spilling, and the singing from earlier."

I rub a hand through my hair, feeling both annoyed and slightly embarrassed.

I'm not sure whether to feel pity or irritation for the man.

He is showing such emotion, such fear, and regret that the whole world would happily donate all its wealth if it would only break the depression latching him down. However, all of these intense feelings are caused by an arbitrary action, the accidental spilling of food. While sure the stain annoys me, it's something too small to fuss about.

"Just calm down please." "I forgive you, just get off your knees.

"You forgive me?!" He questions, his whole demeanor changing to that of joy as he jumps back up. "What a fantastico turn of events! Especially for this poor pizza and pasta lover! You had me completely fooled, I thought you'd be completely mean and scary!"

Judging at the responses, or lack thereof, from the rest of his family, I can only guess that these sudden and possibly violent fits of emotion must be typical of Feliciano. Maybe it would be best and follow the lead of the rest of the Sempronias and just ignore it.

Changing the conversation, I turn to the father.

"This is a beautiful house, Mr. Sempronia. How did it come into your possession?"

"It's been in our family for many years." He answers, glancing at Roma. "How long was it?"

"Since 1922." He responds.

"It's beautiful, none the less" I comment, gazing around the room as I talk. "Full of art and marble statues. Why, it seems that all the decor would be more expensive than the house."

Mr. Sempronia smiles at my complements.

"Thank you, it's certainly taken time for us to gather all of these items."

"I'm just curious about something." I point out.

This is something that I haven't given much thought to so far, but has still been in the back of my mind.

"What is it?" Mr. Sempronia asks.

"Not to be rude, but I haven't noticed a single staff member since I arrived here. Have all the maids left for Christmas?"

"We don't have any." Roma cuts in.

There's that notorious penny pinching I've heard so much about.

"Do you have any form of staff?" I ask, hoping that i'm not overstepping my boundaries with such a question.

"No maids, no cooks, no gardeners, nothing. Romana is the only one who has a job. I don't know why she would make such a decision. We have enough in our treasury to support our living style for decades to come."

I raise an eyebrow, a bit surprised by this answer.

Why would a man so concerned about money be so against his family participating in the workforce?

"Besides Romana, none of you have jobs?" I ask.

"Why should we exert ourselves when we could simply live off of our savings?" Roma simply asks, his tone filled with a sort of annoyance, as if talking to a child who just asked a redundant question with an obvious answer.

I brush this slight deride to the side, bringing up a valid point.

"Theodore has informed me of a portion of your family history. Power and leadership were hallmarks of your ancestor's occupations. I'm sure crowds of loyal followers would rally behind a descendant of Rome if he were to run for office."

Roma smirks at my contemplation, the only smile I've seen him bear thus far.

"A Sempronia hasn't held a political office since 1945."

That's quite an interesting date in Italian history, not to mention an interesting date in world history.

"Why is tha-"

"Well, I believe I've satisfied my hunger!" Mr. Sempronia suddenly interrupts , patting his stomach with satisfaction.

I glance at his place, noticing that only half of what was on it is gone.

"What about you honey?" He asks his wife.

She follows his lead, nervously saying

"Yes, the food was quite good. But I don't think I could eat another bite."

He smiles at her, replying with

"You surely made a filling meal. But I'm afraid all of these carbohydrates and fattening foods have made me sleepy. I believe bedtime is upon us."

Mr. Sempronia glances at Roma,

"Don't you agree father?"

The two, father and son, stare at each other. While Mr. Sempronia expresses a look of irritation, as if angered by what his father had just said, Roma just stares back at his son, a mix of slight confusion but overwhelming amusement on his face.

Finally, the old man gives into Theodore's father, saying

"Fine."

Upon hearing the final decision from the head of the Sempronia household, Feliciano loses the past positive emotions, breaking down into another teary mess on the floor.

"Whaaat?! No! The food was just made! If finish now, then all the pasta will go to the fridge, and leftovers put in the microwave aren't as good as fresh food! It gets all wet and soggy!"

Not wanting to deal with the antics of his son, Mr. Sempronia sighs, instead turning to his daughter.

"Romana, can you take your little brother to his room? I don't think he'll leave on his own."

Hearing the request from her father, Romana lets out an annoyed sigh, leaning back into her seat.

After a brief moment of contemplation, she looks back at her father.

"Fine, just let me take a few tomatoes to my room. I'd like a midnight snack, and I'm too lazy to walk around at night."

* * *

I sit alone in my room, wondering what the nature of that past event could be.

It all happened so fast, too fast for any proper responses or objections to be made, by either Theodore or I. Within mere moments, the lights were turned off, and we were all practically escorted out and to our rooms. The sheer suddenness of this action was definitely contradictory to the regular calmness of the house.

The nature and cause of the interruption is also taken into question. The action of disposing of us was only carried out once I delved further into the topic provided by Roma. Once I tried to probe more information, Mr. Sempronia was quick to end our conversation. It was rather abrupt, and dare I say, out of character. It wasn't just anything that could've commenced such a scene to take place.

It was only when I asked further into the Sempronia history, asking about the date of 1945, and why that was the year that the family seized engaging in the workforce.

It does provide me with great wonder, ponding why this date would give the outcome claimed by Roma, and why the mention of this act was brought down by Mr. Sempronia.

I lay down into my bed, trying to brush these thoughts from my mind.

I have to remember, I'm a guest in this house, and should treat myself was such. It would be rude and improper of me to delve to deep in their history, it's clearing something that's too personal for an outsider to know about.

I don't know, perhaps I'm reading too much into this. After all, I've already identified Roma, Romana, and Feliciano as people not displaying the normality of traits, especially when compared to Theodore. It seems as though Mr. Sempronia may not fall too far from this deduction, he is afterall the father of Romana and Feliciano. It's only natural that their behaviors would align themselves.

But then again, even if these statements about the psychology of the four previously stated were to be true, I have to remember that Mr. Sempronia is an adult, and not in his 20s like his two eldest children. If something were to shake his so much so that it would end a dinner that his wife worked hard for, then the cause of his behavior must be something serious. Perhaps there is something to that date after all. 1945 was a significant date in Italian, European, and world history as a whole. It was the downfall of The Axis Powers, the death of the fourth German Empire, the death of the Italian dictator Mussolini…

As far as I'm concerned, the Sempronia family has been based in Italy since the beginning of Rome itself. So, it's safe to say that they were still in Italy during the second world war, and thus 1945. Italy was in a state of chaos back then, being divided by both the Axis and the Allies.

Ugh! Why am I thinking so much about this?! It was just an abrupt ending of dinner, nothing more.

But, perhaps it was everything more. As soon as I asked Roma what the Sempronias were doing at around that time, I was censored by his own son.

Although I would ask Theodore of this, the likelihood of him being asleep right now is high. I wouldn't want to disturb him, especially on a matter that might not even be as big as I think.

I think about another way to learn of their history, my mind flashes to my arrival yesterday.

Theodore had given me a house tour, and as such showed me the family library. He did say it contained much information about the Sempronias.

It wouldn't be that hard, everyone would be asleep at this moment. I could just slip in, read a few documents concerning their history, and return to my bedroom before anyone would be the wiser.

While I hate to engage myself in this form of espionage, if I'm living in this house for another two weeks, I'd at least like to have closure. I prefer to be well informed about the family I'm staying with, and all I know about it so far are the boasts that Theodore would give. Come to think of it, I don't think I've heard him say a single negative sentence about his family or their history.

Finally coming to a decision, a leave my bed, walking towards the door, knowing what I have to do.

* * *

In the dead of night, I stand in front of the door that I've been searching for, the door to the library.

It wasn't too hard to find it again, and I came across no obstacles, and did not hear a sound of another human. I must've been right, everyone is asleep.

With no more thoughts on the matter, and my mind made up, I slowly push open the door.

I visibly cringe as the door makes the iconic creaking noise, the sound echoing throughout the still house.

I enter the room, and quickly close the door, ensuring that any passerbyers would be unaware of the intrusion.

With a flick of a switch, the whole room lights up, allowing all of its content to be visible.

Since my first visit to this room was brief and lacked of meaning, I wasn't given the opportunity to really embrace the library.

It's a rather small room, perhaps extending no more than twenty feet at its longest side. However, what little space the room offers is most certainly taken advantage of.

The three walls in front of me are completely filled by bookshelves, with no blank space, every since inch of the shelf taken up by books. The books themselves range from various ages, some appearing to be relatively new, while others bear the notorious yellow pages, discolored by time.

Multiple banners and flags, also of various ages, fly proudly in the small room. Some flags I recognise, like the classical red SPQR flag of ancient Rome.

In the center of the room lies a small couch, perhaps allowing no more than three people at at time. A crystal table sits in front of it, allowing whatever readers to enter someplace to put their unread books.

I ponder on where I should even begin.

Most personal documents from ancient Rome would've been destroyed by time, creating holes in the history. However, thanks to archaeology, these holes can be filled, creating a more fluent timeline.

So, a search of any textbooks should start, followed by personal documents once the timeline allows it.

I cast my eyes at the shelves, noticing that most of the older artifacts and books are placed on one shelf, while the newer ones are segregated to a different one. The whole library must be arranged in historical order.

Well, this should make the search easier than I previously thought.

Picking up a book that looks relatively old, I read the title.

'A Brief Summary of The Sempronian History of Ancient Rome and The Medieval Ages'

The book was written by someone called Gaius Sempronia.

I don't recognize that name, but given the yellowing of the pages, I can only guess that he's no longer with us.

I take a seat at the couch, opening the book to the table of contents, analysing my options.

Theodore has already informed enough about the Sempronias of Ancient Rome, but he has told little about their exploits in the medieval era. That would be a good place to start.

'After Rome died, all of Italy was victimized by the barbarians of the north. The Roman Empire, which had lasted over a thousand years, had finally fallen. Death and misfortune had come to the people of Italy, and the remaining Romans were in no better situation. A plague of killings and purges would engulf Rome, enacted by the barbarians as a form of punishment for our defeat. The Sempronias, who were minor imperial officials at the time, fled to nearby Tuscany, abandoning Rome it escape the madness. It would be centuries before the family would return. However, while most people only view the Sempronian name as faint and minor, such as those of Leo or Flavian dynasty, the family that once held power in The Roman Republic would continue to hold it, but in just a different way.

Serfdom, the idea of bounding peasants and other lesser peoples to the land, had grown quite popular in The Medieval Period. By the end of the fifth century, the Sempronias were one of the largest serf holders in Europe, generating great wealth for the family.

This system had lasted for a great deal of time. The title of Lord Paramount would be passed down for many generations. The system of Sempronian Serfdom would last from the fall of Rome, all the way up to the late 14th century. During this time, the level of universal serf treatment has risen, creating discontent within those held by the Sempronias. However, the Sempronias, accustomed to the great wealth generated by this early form of slavery, refused to give into the demands of their serfs. When they were pressured, the Sempronias slaughtered every serf in their holding, fleeing up north once again.

With their great deal of money, they were able to settle down in Florence, the situation between the existing city states making the Sempronia's slaughter meaning nothing to the different land.

It was here that the family engaged in a new but potentially powerful trade, banking. Using their wealth obtained by Serfdom, a new line of Sempronian banks began to pop up all throughout Florence, catching the attention of another banking clan in the city. This would begin a sort of feud between the Sempronias and the House of Medici. Not much has been recorded between this time, but after a combination of bad investments and the pressures of the Sempronias, the Medici family fell, allowing the victors to maintain a monopoly of the Florentian banks.

It would only be six decades later that the unification of Italy would begin to rest well in the hearts of many Italians countrywide. An Italian nationalist, Giuseppe Garibaldi, would lead an expedition that was bent on the unification of Italy, and a return of greatness to the Italian people. The Sempronias were a major financer of this crusade, providing money that they had collected from their banking monopoly. With this great deal of monetary aid, and the might of the Italian people, it wasn't long until the peninsula was finally united, shifting the balance of power within Europe as a whole, and greatly adding prestige to the tainted image of the Sempronias.'

I put the book down on the table, as the contents become too much to bear.

What sort of history is this?! Why, it seems as though the ink of the book itself was formed by the very blood of all those serfs they slaughtered.

Truly a repugnant and despicable action, enacted all because of wanted freedoms. And not to mention the downfall of the Medici. I can see that it was simply a fight over supremacy, and it was going one way or the other. But, I do recall my own history consumptions, and I remember that the Medicis became irrelevant after they fell, never to be heard from again with no more influence in their previous crafts. They fell almost as suddenly as they rose, and now I see why.

I can understand now why Theodore wouldn't want to have this dark side of his family history exposed. If I knew these facts before I met him, I believe I would be rather biased, especially after all the boasting and bragging that he does.

However, I do not blame people for what their ancestors did. What was done in The Middle Ages was done with no say from Theodore, Romana, Feliciano, or even Roma. I cannot give blame to those who weren't even alive then.

Even with all of this new information, I still don't know what happened in 1945, or why Mr. Sempronia was so quick to hide it. If it was something even worse than what was previously read, or of a lesser severity remains to be found.

It is here tonight that I shall uncover these secrets. None shall know about this, as I will slip out as soon as this information is made kno-

These thoughts are cut off, as I hear the familiar sound of the twisting of a door knob.

I can only sit, exposed out in the open, as the door swings open, revealing Roma.

He seems rather surprised to see me, one of his grey eyebrows raised slightly.

He continues to stand in the doorway, the both of us staring at each other.

Finally, he cracks a grimace, slowly muttering

"Hello...little girl."

I take a gulp, unease being felt, and coldness in the room.

"Roma...I...thought you'd be in bed by now." I say, trying to conceal my worry.

"I was going to catch up on some reading. Seems as though you've done the same."

He glances at the table, seeing the book placed on it.

"A Brief Summary of The Sempronian History of Ancient Rome and The Medieval Ages? A fine book, made by my father."

"Your father was Gaius Sempronia?" I ask, trying to stir the conversation away to something else.

No answer comes, as Roma closes the door, walking over towards me.

I flinch as he picks up the book, examining where I left off.

"A fine time in our history, much wealth and power was gained." He proudly comments, setting the book back down.

"Much wealth and power at the expense of others." I remind him.

He lets out a light sigh at this, before strongly asking

"So what?"

I'm taken aback by his lack of empathy.

Sure, these events happened so long ago, but to not feel even a tinge of remorse for what your ancestors carried out?

"So, I assume you're here to learn about what made my son so discouraged. Would I be right?" He asks me.

Now it's his intuition that surprises me.

"H-How did you know?" I ask.

"Why else would you be here?"

I lower my head, knowing that he just caught me in the act of research.

And worst of all, he didn't even have to get it out of me. He knew my reasons the moment he saw me.

But, maybe this could be a good thing. I would no longer need to read through these books, hoping that I've found the right one. Even though this library is expertly organized, with the sheer lack of materials to go through, it might take me hours.

Afterall, if I tell him the truth, perhaps he will inform me himself.

"You're right, I want to know what happened, why your son was so quick to dispel our conversation. I wish to know why the year of 1945 could cause your family to no longer participate in politics."

Roma takes a deep breath through his nose.

"Well, I wasn't expecting to give a history lesson when I came here tonight." He gives a brief smirk. "But alright, I'll tell you everything."

He turns his back to me, approaching one of the bookshelves.

"Afterall, I can see at this point you're not going to stop until you get answers. And with my plans, it's for the best that you'll be well informed."

Plans? What does he mean?

Roma turns back around, now facing me.

"The time after the unification of Italy was rather uneventful, even during the first world war, not much activity took place. My father and the rest of the family escaped the draft by buying their way out of conscription. We survived the war with no problems."

"However, our good fortune seemed to die there, as the great depression began to ravage the whole world. Italy, a country that had been promised much land for their participation in the war, received none. Creating a large resentment for the democratic countries of the Entente. The country of Italy, once home of the greatest empire of all time, was no descending into a state of anarchy."

"In 1919, a man by the name of Benito Mussolini began to congregate a large amount of the population to his side. It wasn't hard to see why. He had a dream, a dream that aligned with the hearts and minds of the people of Italy, and more importantly the Sempronias. His dream was to build a new Roman empire. It would see Italy expand all across the coastline, turning the Mediterranean into 'Mare Nostrum', our sea."

I am of course informed of the man Mussolini, as well as his ideology. I wonder how he will play a part in the history of the Sempronias.

"A few years later, when his support grew even more powerful, he began a march on Rome, funded by the Sempronias." Roma continues, now browsing through a shelf.

After a moment of scanning, he grabs a picture frame, hanging it to me.

It's a picture of Mussolini, standing at the center of a crowd of blackshirts. He stares at the camera, his hands at his hips. It appears to be taken in a street, perhaps during the march on Rome.

"My father is the one standing to the right of him." Roma informs me.

I put the picture down on the table, not wanting to see someone who could potentially look like Theodore.

"The march was a success, and Mussolini became the Prime Minister of Italy. As a reward for their contributions, the Sempronias were given seven out of twenty-eight seats in The Grand Council of Fascism, as well as this very manor that the two of us are standing in. We now had reclaimed ourselves as a source of political power throughout Italy and the world."

"Five years later, I was born, born into a country that had been revived under nationalism. All was well, Italy began to shake off the damages of the depression, the Sempronias were back in a position of power, and we were even gaining a great deal of money from it. It was from a new form of trade that had only recently became an opportunity to seize, especially in the militaristic state that we lived in."

"What do you mean?" I ask him.

He smirks at me, saying

"We Sempronias may descend from a proud race, but we're also businessmen. Since the banks had now become a subject of the state, we often found our profits going into the hands of Mussolini to rebuild the armed forces, and not to us. However, a new form of money making was just around the corner, something that would make us even more money than banking and serfdom ever could. In 1930, my father had bought the entire Carcano company, that is the company making most of the arms of the Italian military." He explains.

"Now, Mussolini had to pay us for the use of our rifles. With our duce's rapid military spending, it was only a matter of time before our family vault reached past twenty billion lira."

"There was just one problem. Eventually, as the military acquired more and more of our guns, the demand began to decrease as there was less of a need. The Italian armed forces had been rebuilt. Why would Mussolini continue to purchase more if he did not need any?"

Before I'm given a chance to answer, Roma continues.

"And that's where our political power came handy. After much coaxing from both our family and other members of The Grand Council of Fascism, we are able to convince Mussolini to declare war on Ethiopia in 1935."

"In public eyes, the war justification was a restoration of Italian honor and pride after losing to Ethiopia once in the past. However, behind closed doors, it was all about money. War profiteering was now our income source, and it was one that was very bountiful."

I can't help but visibly shrink back in disgust at this statement. Once again, Roma was just a child at the time of the war, no older than eight. However, I can't help acknowledge the amount of bravado that he puts into every word. He's proud of it, and not remorseful in the slightest. I wish I hadn't heard that.

More so, I wish I could block him out, as he continues.

"This is the very same attitude that would also apply to the involvement of Italy during the second world war. During this time, national pride meant little to the Sempronias, as long as we were getting paid."

"I don't think I need to go over this war. You should be well informed about it enough. All you need to know it that Italy was one of the losers, but our family also gained much money. But, all of this exploitation would eventually catch up to us."

"The treaty that ended World War Two might've brought Democracy to Europe, but it also contained a hidden claus. It restrictions any family members of those in the grand fascist council from holding any government positions, including the Sempronias. Moreso, we had to pay back all the money we achieved through war profiteering. But just like any challenged group, we evolved to fit our surroundings."

"We were back to square one, and I found myself engaging in a common trade that ruled our Fascist days, war profiteering. Unfortunately, there aren't any world wars for me to profit off of, but I don't need to look far. A quick business trip or two to the lesser parts of the world normally proves sufficient."

I raise an eyebrow at his description.

"And which are the lesser parts of the world?" I ask.

"Southeast Asia, Africa, South America, The Middle East." He responds. "Basically any part of the world that's in political chaos."

Lots of gains and reasons can go into distributing weapons to other nations. It could be that Roma is trying to spread his own political agenda.

"And which side do you support?" I ask.

"The highest bidder." He simply says.

I visibly stiffen at such a claim made with so little compassion.

"To profit off of the misfortunes of others is awfully sick." I comment.

He sighs at this, now taking a seat next to me.

I note that his eyes are green, the same color as Theodore's.

"Let me tell you something. I've been all over the world, and the bottom line is money is money. Euros, dollars, pounds, it's all the same thing. There's no such thing as 'dirty money'. For example, about a year ago, I had come into contact with a group of Libyan rebels, trying to come into possession of a considerable amount of firearms. We shook hands, and the deal was made. A few weeks after that, the Battle of Sirte took place, and the dictator Gaddafi was found dead. Could that be connected? Perhaps. Is it for certain? No. But what is certain is that I walked away with a large sum of money. I walked away with power. Mussolini once said that blood alone turns the wheels of history, but he was wrong. It might've been like that hundreds of years ago, when people were killing each other with clubs and swords, but in the modern world it's money. What do I need an army for, if I can just buy the throne?"

Emotionally exhausted, I bend down, putting my face in my hands.

This was even worse than I thought. I had come here seeking only one piece of information, but now I've just been subjected to hundreds of years of bloodletting. The amount of deaths that must've been caused due to this family's greed must be staggering. The Serfs, the war profiteering of wars, and now even this recent transaction? What more have the Sempronias done that hasn't already been explained? I'm sure I would find out if I asked, Roma having great pride in these horrible histories, but I don't think I could bear it.

Who knows, could Roma be planning another trip to distribute his weapons of war? Has he already done it before my coming? Is he going to do it during this vacation? A time of peace and family love?!

How could Theodore be related to this family?

I had my thoughts about him, but now I'm absolutely certain. Roma is a monster! A true reaper of death, and a capitalizer on agony! Nothing will be able to satisfy his thirst for further wealth and power, not even if he wrung out the world's supply of blood!

Even talking to him right now turns my stomach. His very presents sends chills down my spine, more so than the cold of winter itself.

"Don't feel too down." He says, a gentle tone clearly faked. "War profiteering has gone down nowadays. I can perhaps get in a deal or two every month, not nearly as much as we used to."

I look up to him in question.

His face turns cold again as he relives his current situation.

"However, this has created a problem with the Sempronias. Our treasury is growing empty, and my patience in thinning. I feared that the Sempronias may finally come to an end."

He brief silence, before he continues with a smirk on his face.

"And that's where you come in, my little friend."

At this point, any plans he has for me can surely not be good.

"W-What do you mean? How could I help you?" I ask.

He frowns.

"Don't play dumb, I'd recognize your features in a crowd. You're a Cavendish, there's no doubt about that."

I sink down, as if being called a Cavendish was some kind of insult. Everywhere I go, at least one or two people have heard of my family, and I'm thrown into the spotlight. I wish that here maybe I could just pass by as his grandson's friend from school, and not a member of an important family.

"And as a Cavendish…" He continues. "...you come from a distinct family of witches and wizards, powerful witches and wizards.

"What are you getting at?" I ask.

"I will approve an arranged marriage between you and my grandson, Theodore."

This sudden sentence strikes me hard, as if a blow to the face. It was something unexpected and lingers with you well after the hit was carried out.

My face turns a deep red, as I begin to swelter with anger.

"W-What?!" I cry, jumping out of the couch, not even wanting to be on the same furniture as this man.

"It's not so hard once you put your mind to it." He explains. "It was a very common practice way back when. Your family is staunchly traditionalist, right? I'm sure they'd be enthused that you're marrying a man with such a rich family history."

At this point, I lose my self control, my normally calm demeanor being replaced with rage.

"You're a despicable old man! How dare you demand such a thing from me?! Have you no decency?!"

He bears a grin, as if enjoying the flames he just lit beneath me.

"Can't you see? Open your eyes. You were born for this!"

I squeeze my eyes together, balling up my hands into fists as I attempt to hold myself together.

After a few heavy breaths, I announce bitterly

"I'm going to bed."

I make my way to the door, storming out of the room as I hear him mutter

"Good night."


	28. A Night To Remember

**Author's Note: Hey guys, iHaveaSmallpenisProductions here, and the chapter that me and Nightcore Miku have been waiting for is upon us. A chapter that shall define all other chapters, and will set the stage for the Diakko boys and girls to begin plotting my downfall. But before that, let me get on to a few comments:**

" **Chances are Diana will calmly explain the situation to Theodore, and they'll find a way to stop Roma. Am I right?"**

 **Dude, you are righter than my right hand. What's going to happen is that Diana and Theodore tie him up, and start singing the sound "Counting Stars" by Onerepublic to him. I'm sure it'll work.**

" **Well, this just got a whole lot more interesting."**

 **Yes sir, shit just got real.**

* * *

I slam my bedroom door closed, absolutely livid.

That man, if one could even consider such a creature a man, he's so disgusting, so stinking with sin that I should've noticed it as soon as I arrived in this country! When I first met him, I had my suspicions, but now I know for sure what kind of person he is!

It's one thing to have such a cruel history, forever stained with the blood of whoever was unfortunate enough to cross them. I understand that history is made by the ancestors, and the future generations have no say in the events of the past. The Sempronias of now couldn't have controlled what happened so long ago.

However, it is another thing entirely to take pride in it! And not just pride, but a deep seated infatuation that only makes you want to repeat the events of the past! Roma, just like most of the Sempronia family, is a killer. He is a silent killer that slithers his way around the public eye, feeding off of other people's misfortunes in order to make a quick salary! Just thinking about the body count makes me feel sick, almost like walking into a mortuary in progress. A rotting smell, a pitiful odor reeking of death that makes you want to vomit, something that will never leave your nostrils, and will never be washed off even with all of the oceans' water.

I can only imagine what forms of sociopathy and pure family narcissism have done to those who inhabit this house permanently!

This whole house, it now resignats a different tone than before. When I first laid eyes, I saw it as a treasure trove of ancient wonders, a place where time had ceased and I can get away from my problems. However, it seems as though they have only taken a different form.

Sadly I don't see many differences between Roma and a member of my own family. My aunt Daryl has always been a greedy and ambitious woman, always selling our own family relics, destroying our proud history in the name of profits. I see no difference in these two. Whether it's a gun for sale or a family relic, money is being made, and someone is suffering.

Truly despicable people, the both of them.

I hear a sudden knock coming from my chamber door.

In a flash of anger, I spin towards the door.

"Go away, Roma!" I cry. "Don't approach me with your twisted soul!"

I brief moment later, and I hear a familiar voice whisper

"Diana, it's me, your friend."

My eyes draw wide, as the voice's owner becomes known to me. It's Theodore.

I'll admit, out of everyone in this household, he is the only one that I can really talk too. However, at the moment I have no words for him. The merchant of death, Roma, had been called great and honorable by Theodore. Such kind words slide off of the slimy eel that is Theodore's grandfather.

But still, I have to remember that Theodore is a friend, and someone that has not given me any reason not to provide trust. If I were to confess my recent transgressions with anyone, it would be him.

Still though, even if Theodore had no direct hand in these bloody actions, I can't help but hold slight contempt for him, and the love he shows for the culprits involved.

I open the door, revealing Theodore in the hallway.

He wastes no time, walking in without a second thought.

"I heard you slam the door." He explains, slight worry in his voice. "What's wrong, Diana? Did Romana do something?"

Well, at least he shows concern over my well being. Even with all this history known, he's still someone who cares.

I close the door, not allowing any further intrusions, whether it be from Roma or some other entity.

I stare at him, deciding on how I should answer his question.

Sure, a lie might be easier to say, but I doubt it would go well in the long run. I'm sure Roma might tell him of my gained knowledge, and put two and two together.

However, I account several situations where Theodore had trust in me, such as when I stumbled upon him in the woods, or when I assisted him in crafting that potion for Lotte's father. He could've just as easily lied and rejected my help, but he didn't. Perhaps I should show him this same form of trust. After all, we are close friends.

I take a breath through my nose, saying

"I was just in the library, and made a few shocking discoveries about your family."

Not understanding, Theodore raises an eyebrow, asking

"What do you mean?"

A take another breath, this time coming from my mouth, and much heavier than the last.

"Theodore...I learned of the horrors that your family has committed in the past. Your grandfather Roma told me everything, the killings of serfs, the siding with Fascists during the second world war, and the war profiteering."

Not much affected by my confession, probably since he's been raised with this family history his entire life, Theodore simply leans against the wall.

"Well, there's more to us than just Rome. Whatever death toll we might have is simply the result of desperation in our family's survival."

I can't help but visibly grind my teeth at such a comment, a fresh flow of rage bubbling forward.

"What took place went way beyond simple survival! Theodore, untold suffering and death was caused do to the greed of your family! How can you take pride in such pain?!"

A lot more alert due to my sudden outburst, Theodore removes himself from the wall, asking in an annoyed voice

"And what of the Cavendishes? What did your family do in years past? I'm sure with your vast history, a few atrocities must've been committed as well."

How dare he accuse my family of such crimes?!

"We used our magic to heal people, people who fought in wars, regardless if they were allies or enemies! I'm sure your family profited from a few of those conflicts."

"And what's wrong with that?" He counters. "Either way, a war isn't going to cease just because they ran out of guns. No, if small arms are scarce, primitive weapons will come in use. Men with be clubbed and children stoned. It would be even more gruesome than it would've been. At least now they have a quick and easy death, nothing too messy."

"You sound just like your grandfather." I comment, turning away from him in slight disgust.

"I hope so, he's the one who told me all about the family history. He told me that if someone is suffering, then why can't we turn it into good? Sure, it may not be for the betterment of them, but their deaths have already come. You can't stop wars, but you can surely make the best out of them. Truth be told, it's hard to argue against his logic."

I scoff at his twisted remarks, a bit surprised that he would agree with such claims.

"Oh, so fair is foul and foul is fair?" I question in a mocking voice, turning my gaze back to him. "Someone's suffering is your prosperity?"

Theodore lets out a tired sigh, sadly glancing at the floor.

It's rare that the two of us get into any sort of confrontation, and especially one over such a horrid subject.

"Look…" Theodore begins, still not facing me. "My grandfather may not be the most loving man, and you might not have gotten a good first impression of him, but he's still family and I love him. Sure, his...exploits may have caused harm to others, but it also caused fortune to us. In times of great financial crisis, when my parents couldn't find a well paying job because of that damned treaty of World War Two, Roma stepped up. Even when it seemed impossible, he was able to raise enough money for us to keep our standard of living. We never had to sell any items or ask for handouts, Roma always kept our family afloat. If it wasn't for him, the Sempronias surely wouldn't have withstood the test of time."

My mind flashes to my Aunt. In her quest to try to keep the wealth of our family, she sells priceless family heirlooms to the highest bidder. I suppose each has their own way of securing financial stability, even if it is one that drips with blood.

I run a hand through my hair, wearily sighing at my current situation and present feelings.

I know now that there will be no reasoning with Theodore. He was born and brought up in this environment, told everyday that their family is noble, and whatever happened in the past and in the present is surely justified. His own grandfather fed him the ways of his dirty acts. And to be fair, to any family member, Roma's acts seem entirely just. As long as a steady income keeps flowing their way, no questions nor objections will be raised.

Even still, if I have any faith left in my friend, it's of his response to the proposal made by Roma, concerning Theodore and I.

I gaze at him, seriously.

"Theodore, your grandfather tried to get me to marry you."

His face instantly turns a dark red.

"W-What?" He stutters, completely surprised.

Well, at least he's not trying to justify Roma's influence this time.

I cross my arms together.

"He told me that your family is having financial troubles. A solution that was suggested by him was a diplomatic marriage between the Sempronias and the Cavendishes, with us as the bonding agents."

Upon hearing this, Theodore puts a hand to his forehead, covering his eyes.

He sighs to himself, rubbing the temples of his head, a combination of intense exasperation and disbelief running through him.

"I can handle the war profiteering…" He sorrowfly mutters. "But this is something disturbing."

He takes another ached sigh. "I'm sorry that he asked that of you."

He pauses again before proceeding.

"Even he can make mistakes. Sometimes, he has ideas that are too impulsive for his own good, and this arranged marriage is one of them."

Maybe I finally spoke some sense into Theodore. Perhaps now he can begin to see the error of his grandfather's ways.

"Hey, Teddy." A light voice suddenly breaks through the aura of uneasiness that has consumed this room.

The both of us look towards the direction of the sound, seeing Feliciano standing in the doorway.

"I heard your voice from the hallway. We've got it set up now."

Theodore nods at his brother, before turning back to me.

"Diana, I'm sorry about this argument and for what Roma , I highly suggest that you join us for tonight."

I want to amend these broken fences as much as the next girl, but with anything involving Feliciano during midnight, I need more information than just Theodore's request.

"What is it?" I ask him.

"My siblings have set up a little get-together in Romana's room, in celebration of my return for Christmas."

So, it's nothing more than just a small party taking place in Theodore's sister's room?

Of course, a part of me wants to just shut the door, refusing the invitation. I'm still suffering from the aftermath, and am feeling a bit irritable at the moment. And Romana's presence could only serve to exasperate it. Plus, it is late at night, and I believe a good night's sleep might be needed to overcome the horrors that I've learned.

However, the hope to even attain sleep is a curiosity in and of itself. Like I stated before, I'm quite worked up, and well alert of my surroundings. If I were to seek sleep now, I would only lay in bed awake, wondering when I can finally achieve it. Additionally, rejecting the invitation would only serve to hurt Theodore, making him worry about my current opinion of him. That's something I surely don't want to happen. Also, if it is a party celebrating the return of Theodore, it is only natural, me being his plus one, that I'm apart of it. Finally, rejecting an invitation to a party would be quite rude.

I let out a sigh, still reminding Theodore about our past predicament.

"Alright. Lead me to Romana's room."

Smiling at my acceptance, my friend nods, saying

"Yes, please follow me."

The three of us leave my room, myself making sure that the lights are off and the door is closed.

Feliciano and I follow Theodore as he leads us down the hall and to his sister's room.

Engaging in small talk, I turn to Theodore's brother, asking

"So, do you often have small parties...during midnight."

What a strange time for a strange function.

He smiles brightly at me, the near party on his mind.

"No, but they are pretty fun. Last time I had a little too much, and I threw up."

A little too much of what?

Before I can ask anything else, he cries

"We don't want to be late. Come on, run!"

He then begins to run down the hall, a playful smile on his face, as if he's a small child with no worries.

I wonder if he knows about Roma's deeds.

I can only wonder what kind of activities the Sempronia siblings could engage themselves in.

I know that Theodore, compared to the rest of his family, has his head on relatively straight. However, I can not say the same about his brother and sister. Feliciano seems like he means well, although he can be quite like Akko at times, impulsive, rather dull of mind, and only seeking excitement. Romana on the other hand has only showed me a negative element to me. To see her in this party setting will be interesting to say the least.

I spot Theodore opening a door, motioning for me to enter.

This must be Romana's room.

Once I enter, the sight I see before me is a little underwhelming than my previous thoughts.

It's simply a bedroom, with a small table in the middle of the room, a bowl of tomatoes and a suspicious brown bag resting on top of it.

Already present at the table is Romana, sitting on the floor as the table is that small, a scowl on her face upon greeting me.

"Okay, what the hell is the blonde doing here?!"

Feliciano takes a seat next to his sister at the table, while Theodore continues to stand next to me.

"She's here for the party." He claims.

Romana frown grows deeper upon hearing this.

"She's too haughty. She's just gonna dull the vibe."

"Come on, Romana." Theodore continues. "It's a party, for me no less."

Romana grunts, finally giving into her younger brother's request.

"Fine! Just have her sit on the other side of the table, away from me."

"Not a problem." Theodore agrees.

"And don't let her touch any of my tomatoes."

"Of course."

With this new deal in place, Theodore closes the door, and the two of us take a seat on the floor, on the opposite side of the table, just as Romana requested.

Through gritted teeth, Romana silently orders

"Don't dull the vibe!"

I calmly respond with

"I can assure you that the 'vibe' will not go dull."

A moment passes, before I point at the bag, saying

"I was just wondering about the contents of the brown bag."

"It's what's going to get this party started." Romana claims, leaning over to reach into the bag.

I raise an eyebrow as she pulls up the contents.

One in each hand, a glass wine bottle is held, both filled to the brim and unopened.

"Fine Sempronian red wine." Romana declares, licking her lips in desire.

"Alcohol?" I declare in shock.

"Hey, what I say about the vibe?!" Romana demands, setting both bottles down on the table.

Romana reaches into the bowl, pulling out a tomato before eating it in just a few bites.

"Besides, it's different than England. You can legally drink here, don't worry about it." She continues.

"That's not what I'm worried about." I affirm, still staring at the bottles in question. "I'm just wondering if your parents are okay with this."

"They're fine." Romana claims in a huff. "Just don't go puking on their bed like this guy!"

A thumb in pointed at Theodore's older brother.

"Told you I threw up." Feliciano reminds me, before giggling to himself at the memory.

Knowing the answers I received were not very reliable, I turn to Theodore, silently requesting for his input.

It's not that I'm against the idea of alcohol, but the fact that two bottles sit in front of me, expecting to be drunk puts me off. Besides an odd glass or two with my family during dinner, I can say that it's a rarity for me.

"It's fine." He agrees. "Romana's right, it's legal for us here. Don't worry about it."

Hearing that Theodore said she was right, Romana lets out a triumphant grunt, right before consuming another tomato.

"So, you must really love tomatoes." I comment.

"What gave it away?" She responds sarcastically.

Reaching into the bowl for yet another one, Romana eyes it, declaring

"There are tomatoes in my pasta. There are tomatoes in my pizza.

For the first time, Romana lets out a slight smile, not a smirk plotting my destruction, but a pleasant one.

"My charming red treasures, how I love tomatoes!"

Her red treasure then promptly disappears into her mouth.

"But, wurst and potatoes are such heretical things!" She claims, still chewing her food.

A hard swallow later, and she comes back with

"My brother eats them, and just gets more, more and more macho!"

Romana shoots a glare at Theodore, before asking

"I mean, what is a Roman doing with British cooking, you traitor?!"

I raise an eyebrow at Theodore, a bit confused by his sister's choice of words.

"Romana only eats food made in Italy." He explains.

He leans close to me, whispering so that his sister can't hear.

"And you thought I was an ultranationalist?"

I can't help but shed a small giggle at his statement.

However, Romana heard, interrupting our moment with a

"Hey, I'm not an ultranationalist!...I just happen to prefer food that originated in Italy."

"Hey, come on! I've been waiting for this all day!" Feliciano pouts, before quickly returning to his normal cheerful self. "Let's get to some wine drinking!"

"And that's why you're my brother!" Romana cheerfully declares, quickly popping the cork from one bottle.

Feliciano pulls out four wine glasses from under the table, handing one over to each of us.

As he hands me mine, he gives the handle a quick kiss, finally offering me the item.

Without hesitation, Theodore takes the glass meant for me, handing me his own.

As he wipes the kiss off, the two of us exchange a brief smirk at both the actions of Feliciano and himself.

Within a few short moments, the wine bottle is passed down the table, as each of us fill our glass. Once Theodore has finished his, rather than give it to me, he simply pours the bottle in mine, freeing me from the minor exertion.

I smile at his action, saying

"Thank you."

Even due to Theodore's positive opinions about his grandfather, I still can't help but see some kindness that he shows to me.

"Here's to Teddy and Diana." Feliciano declares raising his glass. "It was so nice that the two of them chose to spend Christmas with us."

The three of us raise our glasses in imitation, Romana embarrassingly muttering

"Yeah, even I missed you a bit...I guess..."

I suppose she does have a heart after all.

"Cheers!" We all sound off in unison.

The two Sempronia brothers take sips from their wine, while I lower mine down to my lap, still a bit hesitant.

I silently watch as the entire glassful of wine disappears down Romana's throat, her not even batting an eye.

I don't know whether to be impressed or shocked.

Noticing my stares, Romana sets her empty glass down at the table, bearing a smirk, daring me to imitate.

I can play her little game.

I raise the glass to my lips, quickly emptying it into my mouth, gasping as the harsh wine runs down my throat.

Theodore and Feliciano both stare at me in disbelief.

Amused by my action, Romana grabs the bottle of wine, refilling both her glass and mine.

"Not bad...not bad at all." She compliments me.

As Romana hands me my refilled glass, I notice Theodore taking small sips of wine, properly gauging himself as to not consume too much too soon.

I decide that not being an experienced drinker, this is a wise move, and do the same.

A few minutes slip by, not much activity going on other than us drinking our fill with wine.

After my third glass, I take a glance at the bottle, noticing that it is now half empty.

Desiring a small break from the silence, I turn to Theodore's brother, asking

"Hey Feliciano, what was that song you were going to sing? During dinner?"

Hearing this, Feliciano eagerly claps his hands together.

"Ooooh, are you giving me permission to sing?" He asks me, a bit excited.

Why not? After all, we're just four people gathered up in a single bedroom, drinking ourselves away at one in the morning. What could make this any less salubrious?

"Permission granted." I simply say, setting my glass down.

Feliciano puts one hand flat against his chest, and another outstretched to the sky, and begins to slowly sing.

"I love pasta, you see. Can't you understand what I'm saying? But I want to say it over and over, just because I really love it! The world is made of precious flour and water! When I look up to the-"

"Oooh I've got a song too." Romana enthusiastically interrupts, setting her glass down.

Feliciano bears a slight pout after being interrupted in the middle of his song, but is overall happy that someone else is joining him in this merry activity.

With her younger brother's silent okay, Romana begins her own song

"Buono tomato! Buono tomato! Buono tomato! Red on the bottom and green on the top, toma-toma-tomato! Hmph!"

She stops singing momentary, placing a finger to her chin, thinking.

"I forgot the middle bit, but it ended with…" She returns to her singing voice. "I'll give you another one! I'll give you a beautiful one! Eat a delicious tomato and come dance! Buono tomato! Buono tomato! Buono tomato! See ya! Ah, Romana! I'm from Southern Italy!"

With the song over, I can't help but feel a bit intrigued by one of the lyrics of the song.

"You weren't born in Rome?" I ask her.

Romana takes a sip of her wine, replying with

"Yeah, my parents had a little too much fun on a summer vacation in Palermo. My siblings were though."

Well, I'm already fully aware about the heritage of Theodore. However, it is a bit interesting to learn about the pasts of Romana and Feliciano.

"What of you, Theodore?" I ask him, a playful smirk on my face. "You're the only one of the Sempronia siblings that hasn't sung yet."

Theodore finishes off his glass of wine, saying

"Yeah, I might be Italian, but I'm no singer."

"It's true, it sounds like someone being disemboweled by a butter knife." Romana jokes.

"One time he sang, and my ears bled!" Feliciano claims.

Theodore glances at his brother, saying

"I keep telling you Feliciano, that was just tomato sauce."

In response, the older brother folds his arms together, childishly declaring

"You can't trick me, I know the difference!"

In response to this banter, I can't help but giggle at them, Romana also joining in to her two brothers fighting.

At first, I'm a bit caught off guard by this shared interest. Romana was the girl who tries to plot something sinister for me, who gave me nothing but coldness, is now opening laughing at something that I also find humorous. It must be the alcohol taking an effect, perhaps on us both.

With this idea in mind, my interest flashes from the little argument between Theodore and his older brother, to Romana's opinion on her grandfather.

So far, I know that my friend's opinion of Roma is only positive, not seeing the flaws and sins that he has committed.

She can either show the anger that she often shows me to Roma, or she can express a new mood entirely, and share Theodore's view of him.

With my mind made up and my curiosity heightened, I finish off the remainder my glass of wine in one gulp, setting it down.

What has made her sloppy, has given me confidence.

"So Romana, I couldn't help but wonder what you think of your grandfather. He seems like an interesting man, and I was just curious in a fellow woman's thoughts." I inform her, attempting to ease the question in.

Honestly though, it's not like I need to. I believe that the alcohol has taken an effect on her where her mind is not all there.

Romana grabs the wine bottle, muttering

"Grandpa Roma saw me as too hot headed and aggressive, so when my brother was born they tried him. But he was too dumb and nice. Then he moved on to Theodore, and of course he was a success."

She takes a sip from her freshly filled glass.

"And then the two of us were just left alone, while Ted buddied up with _our_ grandpa!"

Another sip is taken, this time a much larger one as more details and feelings come.

"Just because I wasn't born in Rome, that doesn't make me any less of a person! Does it?!" She demands, asking anyone who would want to answer positively.

"It doesn't." I hear Theodore say, placing down his wine glass before giving a serious stare to Romana. "You're my sister, and I love you, so does Feliciano."

"It's true!" Feliciano sounds off. "Remember when we were in elementary school together? The bullies would pick on me, and you'd swoop in to stop them."

"Yeah, no one picks on my little brother." Romana declares proudly, before muttering "Well, no one except me."

"I'm sure grandpa Roma loves you just as much as I." Theodore adds, now returning to his wine.

"Oh yeah, and is that why I was neglected?" Romana demands, now grabbing hold of the entire bottle. "You might not have been directly responsible, but you surely were a reason, dumbass."

"Don't continue, it's fine." I say, a weak smile on my face.

I'd reach out to her if I could, pat her on the back in comfort.

"Let us continue on with the party." I request.

"This isn't just for reciting words of sorrow!" Romana blurts out, surprising us all.

She stares at the bottle in her hand, a brief moment of contemplation on her face.

Whatever she was contemplating is abruptly ended, as she takes a great gulp straight from the bottle, perhaps enough to fill two or more glasses.

"The wine glass in his hand is always twink-twink-twinkling." She claims, referring to Roma. "And back when I was an adorable baby, I was ignored. That dick!"

"You shouldn't drink that much all in one." Theodore recommends.

"I mean, I may not be useful with chores…" She continues, ignoring him. "And my brother may be better with art and trade, and sometimes I may be as dumb as a bird..."

The bottle is set aside on the table, Romana cracking her knuckles in frustration, a pained look on her face, as if trying to think of what to say next.

She tries to talk, but stutters, maybe from the copious amounts of wine she's consumed, or from her own doubts. It's as if she's struggling to get her words out.

"But I...but I...!"

As if all past anger and sadness is being released, Romana lets out a deep sigh, grabbing her wine glass.

That's almost too much information for me.

At first, I thought that Romana was nothing more than someone who just harbored resentment for those around her, sometimes even lashing out at her own siblings. But now, well, with this new flow of information, I can't help but retract my statements. It seems as though Romana was not born with this personality, but it insead was molded through years of neglect due to not being the family favorite. That adoration instead fell on Theodore, the increased bonding time only bolstering his love for his grandpa.

However, tonight I was shown something. Whether it was Romana pouring me a glass of wine, or the both of us exchanging a smile or a laugh, perhaps there can be a connection with her after all.

After dinner, I was ready to abandon my quest of us becoming friendly, but it seems as though the events that have come before me have proved me wrong. There just may be hope after all, and under the veil of alcohol, Romana was able to show a glimpse of it.

Although the mood in the air is now a bleak one, I can't help but feel just a spark of happiness for her.

She was able to branch out, and speak such personal matters to me, even if she is not in her right mind at the moment.

I let out a small smile, turning to the glass in front of me.

* * *

Diana tries to pour herself another glass of wine, but ends up letting out a drunk hiccup, spilling some on the table.

As if a child with her hand caught in the cookie jar, Diana lets off a half plastered, half embarrassed face, her eyes glazed and her mouth hanging a bit open due to her current state.

In response to this, Romana lets out a hard laugh, shaking Diana's worries on the subject, as she ends up joining her in guffawing.

Smiling at the two finally getting along, I pick up a towel, cleaning up the spillage.

By the time I finish, I spot Diana and Romana uncorking the second bottle of wine together, quickly refilling their empty glasses.

I think it's safe to say that the effects of the alcohol are beginning to reach her. I don't think it was her intention to get this drunk, but it seems as though she has failed to moderate herself as well as I. It was a likely scenario however, this being the first time she's has this much wine in front of her.

Romana, Feliciano and I are largely unaffected, myself only bearing a slight headache, my motions merely a bit slowed.

Wanting to know the current state of my friend, I glance at her.

Half of her body is laying on the table, her hand tightly wrapped around a half empty wine glass.

"Is it 'Diakko'...or 'Dianakko'?" She mutters to herself, strain in her voice. "God, I don't know…"

"Maybe you've had enough to drink." I say to her.

"You don't know me!" Diana suddenly shoots back up, facing me. "I'm from The United bloody Kingdom, and I can hold my locker better than you any day!"

Given how she mistook the word liquor with locker, I can say with certainty

"Definitely too much."

"Shut up!" She cries, a smile on her face as if it were playful, a finger pointed at me in accusation. "I felt bad about the way Akko and her gang were treating you, so I tried to befriend you. I thought maybe we could be friends and bond over our mutual hatred for Akko. But uh-uh."

Sudden, she explodes, quickly saying

"Not only did you want to be friends with Akko, but you wanted to be friends with me, even though you were already friends with Akko, and somehow you managed to stay friends with us both. I think that's totally bollocks!"

As if nothing happened, Diana suddenly smilies lazily, running her finger around the rim of the wine glass.

A few more hiccups later, and Diana bears the look of contemplation on her face.

"Maybe...maybe I should go to bed. T-thank you Theodore, Feliciano, Romaaaanaaa…" She mutters, slurring my sister's name pretty hard.

I don't know whether to feel bad or not for being amused at seeing the posh and elegant Diana be in such a state. It's truly alien to see her behave in this way.

"Why ruin the party?" Romana asks, her speech slightly stained as well. "If you go, then the whole party would go too."

I glance at my sister, an eyebrow raised.

"Just a few hours ago you wanted her dead."

My sister only replies with a simple shrug, returning to her wine.

Diana attempts to get up, retreating back to her original position as her swaying body becomes to much for her to manage.

I stand up, myself managing much better due to my moderating.

"Need some help?" I ask Diana, extending my hand to her.

She takes it comfortably, the other wrapped around the glass, freshly filled yet again.

In response, I grab hold of the glass with my other hand, setting it back down down on the table.

Diana only utters a low moan in protest, myself pulling her to her feet.

As the two of us are about to leave, Romana holds up one of her beloved treasures.

"Here, have a tomato. It's the best way to stave off a hangover."

I find this statement a bit hard to believe, this being the first time I've heard my sister make such a claim.

I take it anyway, putting it in my pocket, not having any real plans for it in the future.

"Goodnight you two." I wish my siblings, Diana now leaning against me.

"Goodnight Teddy, Diana!" Feliciano energetically declares, the alcohol having no effect on his normal cheery behavior.

"Yeah, sleep well." Romana simply says.

"Goo...goodnight…" Diana struggles to get out, sloppily waving a hand at the duo.

With Diana fully supported by me, and our goodbyes said, we stumble into the hallway, heading towards Diana's room.

Along the way, I notice her body bumping into me a number of times, herself having trouble standing up, even with my aid.

"How much did you drink?" I ask her, a bit afraid of the answer.

With one hand wrapped around me, she puts another to her chin, asking

"Uhhh...what's after six?"

"Seven."

"Eight, yeah!" Diana suddenly explodes, quickly returning to her past volume. "I had eight."

Eight whole glasses of wine on her first go?

I can only imagine the headache Diana will have tomorrow. The best I can do now is get her to her room before she knocks over a priceless Roman artifact.

Thanks to the close proximity of our rooms, I manage to get us there soon after.

I open the door, slowly but surely shuffling our way to her bed.

Once I'm sure that she can manage the rest of the way, and if not can simply fall on the bed, I let go of my grasp, saying

"Here we are. Have a good night, Diana."

I feel her hold on me only tighten into a hug, herself practically straddling my body.

A faint pressure is placed on my cheek, slightly moist yet warm. A second of the same feeling soon hits me, followed by yet another one.

I turn to her, a bit confused as to the source of this, only for Diana to suddenly lean into me, our lips making contact with each other, the strong scent of wine on her breath.

Now more shocked than confused, I pull away, staring at her in disbelief, my heart pounding.

She leans in closer to me, a look of careless desire in her half closed eyes.

With a wavy smile on her face, she mutters

"Give me a sex, Sempronia."

Without thinking, I roughly shove her to the bed, quickly fleeing from her room, closing the door behind me, not daring to look back even once.

Alone in the dark hall, I lean against the nearby wall, a warm feeling consuming my face, as my heart madly beats. I take a strained breath, my throat being too tight to inhale a meaningful amount.

All of that, that entire situation, my body was saying yes, but of course I couldn't do such a thing. Trust me, I've wanted a kiss from Diana for a while, but not like this, not while she is so drunk that she can barely stand!

I'm not sure really what to think of this, or what Diana will think of it, if she even remembers tomorrow.

It really shakes me that Diana, a girl that is normally so modest and composed, would behave in such a way, even if she was under the influence of alcohol.

I remember Romana once telling me, in one of her drunken justifications, that a drunk man's words are a sober man's thoughts.

Even if that statement can be seen as false, this was definitely something that happened.

Still struggling to grasp the concept of what just took place, I get up, making my way to my own bedroom.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Well boys here it is, almost two years of work and finally some romance takes place.**

 **The end of the year is drawing near, and I feel like I should thank all of you. Not only have I doubled in followers in the past few months, but many great things have happened. Fanart has been made in my honor, and someone has even been inspired by me. I mean, come on man. I'm the person you should be inspired not to be. I just waste away my life, in this endless cycle of chapters and word count goals. I could've gotten a girlfriend, are bettered myself through studying, or exercise. But instead, I choose to waste my Saturday nights up in my room, aggressively typing as I slowly decay.**

 **But even still, somehow, people find me good enough to follow and read, not to mention comment. And for that, a big big mcthankies from mcspanky's!**

 **Now, as some of you know, I posted a Diakko on Christmas, and it left a big impression on everyone. Momo was shook, and Silver Fupa as well as the kiwi guy were wishing they had my talent.**

 **Thanks to the blinding success of that amazing story, I'm making an offer.**

 **Once I get to 70 followers, I'll post another Diakko, then after every ten new ones, another Diakko will follow. Even Nightcore Miku is getting in on it.**

 **And with such responses as**

" **oh my f cking god"**

" **Heyyyy noooo I don't accept!"**

" **Hesus fucking christ"**

 **I think mine definitely stands above the rest of the regular "Give me an anal, Akko" diakkos that are here.**

 **So! Don't forget to follow and fav, as well as comment.**

 **I love you my pretties, and have a happy new year!**


	29. Confession

**Author's Note: Robbaz here, king of Sweden. Due to myself having no social life, I've managed to type out another chapter in such short notice. While this is probably going to be the final chapter until break ends, I can say with certainty that people have been happy by my frequent uploads:**

" **Future president here,**

 **Liked this chapter a lot,and the frequent uploads,im still in bangkok so read this there lol also dont eat soup here its just spicy heated fish water!"**

 **Hello once again, my future president. Don't worry about the soup man, knowing my laziness, I'm never going to leave my bed, let alone go to Bangkok!**

 **Yes, a lot of people have been thanking me for all these uploads! Of course, when I say a lot, I mean only three, but that's rare for me to have people praising me for something that doesn't involve my own suicide.**

 **And speaking of people who probably want me to commit suicide, the man, the myth, the absolute master of roasts himself, Mister Fuzzy has come once again.**

 **Now if you guys don't remember this guy, he's the one who accused me of writing a self insert wish fulfillment gary sue.**

" **I say this respectfully, this was a good chapter but you do seem somewhat for lack of a better term... salty of other writers and Diakko's popularity. Just from reading the notes and your parody Christmas story of above relationship. The early chapters were okay, even if I had to suspend disbelief about some sole boy somehow being accepted into the academy. But what used to be decent writing seems to have turned into a parody of itself from what it used to be earlier. Now the canon characters seem OCC to the point of cringe unfortunately. Diana never hated Akko and her saying that just made me confused (even if she was drunk) I was hoping for improvement, but you responded to my previous comment with rudeness and apparent childlishness that seems to have seeped into this chapter. I'm not saying you're a bad writer, but there are things that are left to be desired from your writing in my opinion."**

 **Okay sir, first of all, let's acknowledge the non existing egg shells that you're walking on and the inconsistency with the opinion of my story. First you say the writing is decent, but then you don't like the story, then you tell me my earlier chapters were better, but now my latest chapter is good. All the while, my writing is decent, and only my earlier chapters were decent, even though my latest chapter was good, all the while you don't like my story, even though you told me the chapters were good. Just make up your mind, my man. If you want to tell me that my writing sucks, and I'm a sick and decaying scum of the Earth, just go ahead and do it.**

 **I started writing a response to this, but realized it was getting a little long for an Author's Note. So my dude, if you actually want a response, make an account and PM me. Or don't, and continue to throw darts at pictures of me.**

 **And also**

" **Mister fuzzy,I agree that Diakko Is the no.1 lwa ship and i agree that this almond farmer genuinely does not agree with it.**

 **But,this fanfic is like a little break from it all and where the magic of an insecure highschoolers imagination comes into is the holy grail of cringe with real life problems into which surprisingly I can not saying your judgement us wrong but throught that i may give my own thoughts as well.**

 **P.S Roman you better give me credit for defending you you deu sex machina factory"**

 **There you go sir, I've given you credit for the sacrifices you've made in order to preserve this fanfic. I salute you, and shall crown you an honorary 'Stockton Boy'. I'm sure your parents are proud.**

* * *

I lay in my bed, the morning light sweeping through my window, two main feelings clinging onto me.

The expected headache that would've come from post drinking is the most obvious. Even now, just laying down, I can feel a pounding in my head, almost as if I have forgoed water for a significant time. It sort of feels as if someone is rhythmically tapping me on the head, or perhaps a sort of slime has coated my brain, a constant ache and burn as my brain attempts to fight off the foreign threat. While the pain is minimal due to my careful pacing, I cannot say the same for Diana.

And she would be the cause of the second and probably the most important feeling.

It was on the night of yesterday that the party was taken place. And it was at that party that Diana drank along with my siblings and I. She had a little too much, and thus I escorted Diana to her room. While she was out of the loop due to the effects of alcohol, what followed when we entered the bedroom was something truly unexpected.

Diana did kiss me, yes, but it was one induced by intoxication. Perhaps it meant nothing, but then again, perhaps it did. Throughout this trip, I've been attempting to give her hints about my feelings for her. Myself accidently slipping up, informing Diana that I thought she was beautiful, thankfully in Italian so perhaps the message was lost. Giving her my jacket in order to ward off the coldness of the winter night was also a step in that direction.

When Diana told me of her encounter with grandfather, and his sudden plan to have us marry, I feared that this would destroy what I've worked for, stripping away the relationship that has been so built up in these past few months. But it seemed as though Diana had something else in mind. Under the influence of alcohol a sign of affection was given, and her feelings may have been revealed.

I'm not entirely sure how to feel about it. A kiss from Diana is definitely something to be desired, but if it was created by such circumstances, how much is it really worth? They say that when you kiss someone, you can smell a part of them. Maybe it's their lip gloss, or scented shampoo, but all I smelled was the wine that had made her so bold. Either way, whether my feelings about her are returned or not, this is something that can potentially affect our friendship. If it's a step up or down is too hard to tell.

It's kind of funny.

Just a few months ago, I was stressed out of my mind when faced with a Roman god, as well as the situation that followed with Lotte and her dad, and now a simple kiss is causing a similar feeling.

Oh, how the teenage mind is an enigma.

I get up, fighting off the beating in my head, as I cast myself in front of my dresser mirror.

Dried drool clings to the corner of my mouth, as bed head runs wild.

Overall I look just like I should, affected by the drinking of last night. I must've slept hard due to the drinking. That would explain the characteristics noted earlier.

However, I believe that I came out of last night relatively unscathed, at least compared to the state that Diana was in.

Speaking of Diana, I wouldn't want her seeing me like this.

I wash off the drool from my face, combing my hair until the last strand of pointed hair lies flat with the rest.

Noticing that I'm still wearing the clothes from last night, I remove them, putting on apparel that's much fresher.

Now satisfied with my current state of appearance, I leave my bedroom, closing the door behind me.

I doubt that Romana or Feliciano are awake by now, most likely deciding to simply sleep off the hangover.

However, someone could be awake by now. I've always seen Diana as the type of person to wake up early, rarely breaking out of her well made routine. Maybe even under the grasp of alcohol, this morning schedule will still be followed by her.

And besides, whether I want to or not, the event of interest should be discussed with her, even if she has not memory of the case. To just clear it off my chest, and finally find out what her thought are about me, and maybe even enter the next tier with her.

With my decision made, I walk down the hallway, making my way to her room.

With each passing step, the weight of anxiousness presses heavy on my heart.

Apart of me is uneasy at her potential response. If I did confess to her, just like that, it is not a certainty that my feelings will be returned. If anything, this could spiral into something that could create an air of discomfort between us. Worst case scenario, it may even end our friendship.

Just as I imagine it, I brush this thought to the side. I've come to know Diana, and I can say that she is far more mature than that. I doubt that by me telling her that I have special feelings for her, she will be a sort of hostile to me. That sounds unlike her.

Hopefully, under the light of my confession, she can say that she indeed feels the same way about me. If anything, this can start the relationship between us that I've wanted for some time.

I'm not sure when I did begin to develop feelings for her, they most likely simply developed over time. But I am sure that I do feel for her now, and I do seek a stronger connection with her, something that a mere friendship cannot fulfill.

Now, with her bedroom door in front of me, and all the possibility of escape behind me, I let out a few gentle knocks on the door.

I know what a bad hangover can do, and loud noises are surely something that can't help.

However, I get no response, not even a shout for me to leave.

I have to admit, hearing Diana say such things with such negative tones in her voice upsets me, even if it was supposed to be directed at my grandfather, and I just happened at the wrong time.

Perhaps the effects of the hangover have dulled her senses, and she simply can't register such a low knock.

Trying again, I knock on her door, this time harder and with more rapid successions.

Finally, my attempts are rewarded, as I hear a faint stirring within the room, followed by a shuffling of footsteps.

After a moment of silence, the door is slowly opened, revealing a Diana that is not often shown.

Her hair is just like how mine was, unkempt, with multiple ends spastically pointing in multiple directions. To be honest, the hair style looks like a mix of both Amanda's and Lotte's. Also like me, a bit of dried drool clings to her face. I also note that her current clothes are wrinkled, being the same ones she wore last night. Her eyes are also glassy, her eyelids hanging heavy, implying that she had just been asleep.

I bet that when I pushed her onto the bed and left, she simply fell asleep on contact, only awaking now.

I'm a bit caught off guard by her appearance, even if it was caused by a drunken state.

Diana is normally so prim and proper, not bearing to show even a wrinkle on her clothing in public. To she her like this now is beyond belief.

Unable to think of anything else, I smile at her in welcome, saying

"Good morning, Diana."

In response, Diana lets out a light wimper, rubbing the sleep out of her eye with one hand.

"Theodore, would you kindly not speak so loud?...My head aches a bit as of the moment."

I had not realized I was speaking loudly.

Well, in Diana's current state of hangover, any slight noise may just cause acute pain.

Even under this pain, it's good to see that the alcohol has left her system, and the Diana from yesterday is now gone.

"Good morning, Diana." I repeat myself, this time in a hushed whisper as to her request.

Diana takes a moment to rub a hand through her messy hair, perhaps trying to ease the pain of her headache.

"Good morning…" She stops momentarily, letting out a tired yawn. "What time is it?"

"It's around ten." I inform her.

Hearing this, it's as if Diana forgot about her current mood entirely.

"My goodness, how could I have overslept?" She questions herself in shock.

"Well, you did drink a lot last night." I remind her.

She nods to me, as if my answer was entirely knew to her.

"Yes, that would be a likely cause."

She stops for a moment, before asking

"Would you please allow me to freshen up?"

Oh Diana, even in such a state she can still make the effort to be polite.

I smile at this, responding with

"You may."

With my okay, Diana closes the door, leaving me alone once again.

Well, nothing to do but wait for her.

I kneel down next to her door, taking a seat on the ground, my back leaning against the wall.

With this time I have to myself, I further think about how I can inform her about last night.

It's not as if I can just blurt it out, say it out of nowhere. I'll need to be able to casually slip it into our conversation, perhaps even finding a way to squeeze in my feelings for her.

If I were to just bring up the party of last night, disguise it as small talk, then perhaps I can manage.

However, even if I can find a way to do so, what will I even say?

Shall I just be straight to the point, say it bluntly with no slip ups? I doubt that when faced with such responses, I can manage.

It's not only just the responses that may slip me up, but Diana herself.

It's as if a Cupid Bee has stung me for the second time, as the same faux feelings that I felt for Hannah have now manifested themselves to Diana.

How knows? Maybe I'll do the classic mistake and stutter and sweat, and look like an idiot.

And all while Diana is suffering from a painful headache, mind you.

If anything, perhaps my kind words will only register to her with the physical pain that they shall bring.

I let out a deep sigh, not seeing any trick around this.

I cannot just forgo the information of the events of last night, odds are she will ask about it. And I don't take Diana for a fool, she might very well see through my lies, she always has.

No one else knows about our kiss, so naturally she may continue her attempts to persuade the information out of me. And knowing myself, I might just confess what happened. Then she might think that I was ashamed of it, and didn't want to say it out of embarrassment.

This could potentially spiral into a self inflicted Hell that could even rival that of Mendacius!

Okay, maybe that's a little far off, but even being a wizard, the pains of teenage romance still run through me just like they would with anyone else.

I hear the sounds of Diana returning to her door, opening it up.

Upon hearing this, stand up, revealing to myself a creature of Suadela.

Perhaps it was just the transformation in appearance that did, or maybe even my own current thoughts on her only amplifying her beauty.

Her wavy blonde hair has returned to its former glory, not a strand out of place. Her once watery eyes have now turned back into the oceans of blue that they once were. There is not a flaw, nor a flake of dried drool shielding her radiance. Her clothes also match this change, now fresh and new, completely without wrinkle or blemish, just like her.

It kind of amazes me how in such a short amount of time, Diana can go from looking drab to fab.

Proud by her improvements, Diana confidently runs a hand through her freshly brushed hair, asking me

"Well, how do I look?"

"Y-you look great." I slightly stutter out, a bit red at the face.

Come on Theodore, you've known Diana for months now! How can you let yourself appear so timid?!

"While I may look great, I can declare that my mind isn't. My head still hurts." She confesses, not noticing my growing anxiety.

"Breakfast can help with that." I suggest to her.

And with this, the two of us journey through the hallway, making our way to the kitchen.

The last time Diana and I were roaming the halls was last night, when in a drunken state she kissed me.

Perhaps in this silent walk, I can engage with her in small talk, and hopefully manage to sneak in that certain event in the mix.

Besides, it'll be better to do it now that we are alone, rather than when any of my family's prying eyes are around.

I really don't want Romana to find out that a drunk Diana kissed me. I would never hear the end of it.

"So, how was last night's party?" I ask her. "It seemed as though you were enjoying yourself."

"Honestly, I remember very little." She admits, slightly embarrassed by this lack of factual recollection. "Romana and I were drinking, and after that I just blacked out."

Ah, so she doesn't remember the kiss. Good, that'll make this a bit easier.

"You and Romana seemed to be getting along." I point out. "It may be different between you two from now on."

"Well, I hope so." Diana declares. "She can be a bother sometimes."

Being able to relate to this statement, I let out a little chuckle, Diana joining in.

After our shared snigger, the two of us continue to move through the hall, only for the brief period of silence to be ended by Diana.

"Did I do anything unpleasant?" She asks me in a serious tone. "I don't remember much from that night, and that only serves to worry me."

We both stop walking, now facing each other in the empty hall.

This is surely a golden opportunity to confess to her. To just waste it would be a tragedy.

Sure, my chance may have come, but my confidence has not.

I'll need time to be able to say such a statement. I still need to wade myself into the topic, and not just blurt it out.

"No, nothing really. In fact, something preferable happened." I say, the corners of my mouth forcing themselves into a smile as I remember the event.

She raises an eyebrow, a bit unsettled by my claim.

I'm getting closer! But I feel as though my attempts at stalling are growing thin, as I'm soon approaching the moment of truth.

"Well, in our drunken state, I had to help you go to your bedroom. You were bumping and stumbling all the way."

"Oh my." Diana recoils at this new information. "And that was preferable?"

Damn, I may have just messed up. I need to reorganize myself.

"No, not that." I clarify. "It was something else."

"Well, what was it?" She presses me, her interest and concern only growing.

Now, there's no going back. Even if I wanted to withdraw from this current topic, Diana would still have lingering questions.

And, let's just say that with an intoxicated girl at a party with two boys, well Diana would want to be well informed on the events of that night.

I'm almost thankful for this predicament. It's giving me no other choice but to tell her.

I can feel my face grow a bit warm, as my lips curl around the right words.

A few shallow breaths later, and a sort of sweat begins to manifest itself onto my hands.

I suppose that in my current state, I'm likely only worrying her more.

I swallow hard, my mouth feeling as dry as can be.

"Well… you kissed me." I barely get out, my heart beginning to throb at the thought of what's to come.

"O-oh..." Diana murmurs, her face growing pink as well.

She lets out a few blinks in rapid succession, attempting to think of a possible response.

After a moment of silence, save the sounds of my pounding heart, she opens her mouth, only to be interrupted by me.

"Diana, before you say anything, I just want you to know that…" My voice drifts off as I attempt to think of the right words. "I want you to know that for a while I have been harboring feelings about you, ones that go beyond the realm of friendship. I'm not sure when they came about, but during this vacation I have noticed them raising in popularity amongst myself." I feel myself becoming consumed by anxiety, as I attempt to speak. " I-I...I think that you're really beautiful and smart! I've been able to rely upon you for the longest time. To be honest, it hasn't been the easiest thing moving to an all girls magic school, myself never able to perform real magic." A bit ashamed by my sudden show of weakness, I look away briefly. "All of this new work and study has taken a toll on me. But you've only made life there much easier!" I announce with new found courage, myself being able to face her once again. "Your constant help and tutelage has become very much appreciated, and I want the same treatment for you. You deserve someone that can make you happy, and I want to be the one to do it."

After my speech, whatever outside noises there may have been just go silent.

It's as if the entire world has stopped, the regular lights and sounds holding its breath, awaiting for an answer, any answer.

I know I am.

Diana's face is flushed red, a mix of embarrassment and nervousness.

I would've thought that a girl like her received such speechless every day. A smart, beautiful, and reliable person is such a rarity nowadays.

However, I wasn't just reciting meaningless words, words only used to seduce and woo her to my side.

What I said was true and came from the heart, every bit of it. And I'll stand by what I said.

For now, there is no going back, no taking away what I said, not that I'd want to.

It took quite a bit of courage to work myself up for this. I wouldn't want this effort to go to waste.

Diana briefly composes herself, opening her mouth as if to say something.

Her blue eyes dance around the room, as if searching for the right words.

As she does so, the urge for me to crack under the pressure begins to set in.

If she were to say anything other than solidarity with my current wants, I think I'd be crushed.

As her eyes shimmer to the ceiling, she gives off a light but warm smile.

"Look Theodore, mistletoe."

These words, spoken by one that I hold dear, snap me out of whatever catatonic state I'm in.

Looking up, I too notice the red berries and green leaves, all tied together with a red bow.

As if God himself had intervened in this business, it's currently above us.

I'll have to thank whoever put that up.

As the both of us look back down towards each other, our eyes met.

Instinct and fate guide our movements, as she raises both of her arms, wrapping them around my neck. My arms follow, wrapping around her waist.

Given that she's two inches taller than me, our current position looks a little strange, but that matters little to us.

All that is apparent to us now is her, myself, and the mistletoe that has bounded us together.

We both lean in, and then it happens.

Through this movement alone, all the five senses are rewarded.

I can feel the warmth of her body, as if some kind of compensation for giving her my jacket earlier.

I can hear my heartbeat, now settling itself into a steady rhythm.

The fragrance of her perfume encases my sense of smell, only amplifying the pleasure of the whole situation.

With our eyes closed, pitch blackness is all that is visible, neither of us becoming discouraged, for the trust in each other has never been stronger.

Most importantly, her lips taste of lip gloss.

Her arms tighten around my neck, as if ensuring that I won't pull away.

Not that there should be any worry of that.

A thousand years could go by, and what has just been accomplished here would never go forgotten.

The feeling of her body against mine is warm and smooth, almost as if this was supposed to happen.

I could stay like this for an eternity.

However, as all good things do, our kiss eventually ends, as we break away.

We stand there for a few moments, staring at each other with satisfaction in both of our eyes.

Diana's cheeks are slightly flushed, as are mine.

However, what happened here was nothing to be ashamed of. In my opinion, this was a complete victory, relieving me of the past stress that once haunted me.

Diana is the first to break the silence, as she smiles at me, asking

"So, do you want to get breakfast now?"

I return her smile with one of my own, albeit a bit more awkward than her's.

That's right, that's what we were going to do in the first place.

"S-sure." I sheepishly stutter out, myself still not coming to full terms about about what just happened.

Unexpectedly, Diana grabs hold of my hand with her own, as she begins to move towards the kitchen, myself following.

If I hadn't already achieved supreme bliss in my success, then I surely have now.

I feel a little shaky, the intense emotions and fear of rejection as well as anticipation now being flooded out of me.

I feel sort of like a building, now gutted and emptied, leaving nothing but a foundation.

A new start to our new relationship.

As the both of us enter the kitchen, I thank the heavens that no one is present.

In my current state, an onslaught of questions by my family or fun poked at by my siblings are both something that I don't need.

Unfortunately, Diana is the first to let go of the hand holding, herself browsing through the fridge in search of food.

I myself take a seat at the table, my mind going through relapses as I relive through the moment in my mind.

Diana and I...we kissed. Just like that, as if with no real form of hindrance.

I worked myself up, coming up with ludicrous scenarios in my mind that were all far from the real of what happened.

I still can't believe it.

Diana accepted my confession, and responded with her own show of intimacy.

I can say with certainty that Diana shares the same views as I do regarding our relationship.

My quiet thoughts are ended, as Diana sets a plate down in front me, before taking a seat next to me

I stare at the plate.

On it are several slices of bread, all buttered, joined by a glass of orange juice to wash it all down.

"Please, you didn't have to do that." I apprise her.

She smiles that this, clarifying with

"Consider it a thank you for inviting me here."

"I think what just happened was thank you enough." I say, referring to the kiss, blushing a bit at the memory. "After all, I've had a crush on you for some time."

Diana lets out a slight chuckle at this.

"I'll admit, I've grown fond of you as well. At first, I simply drawn to you due to curiosity, you being the only boy at Luna Nova after all. Then after I encountered you in the forest, I felt a need to help and assist you. Not just with that event, but with the new world that you found yourself in. I began to realize that the kindness I was showing had begun to become repaided. Don't get me wrong, many different people have expressed their own form of kindness to me, but it was simply out of respect, holding no real meaning. But you were the one to break that status-quo. I began to realize that you showed me kindness out of appreciation to what I offered, not to what I am. You repaid my kindness with kindness, and even when the debt was paid, you still showed me kindness. That's when I started to develop feelings."

Now done with her confession, Diana picks up a slice of bread from the plate.

"Now, let us eat." She suggests, before taking a bite.

I smile at her speech.

Well, it seems as though I had little to fear.

Looking back at the food, I join her.

Slowly but surely, as I eat more and more of the bread, my energy begins to come back.

As Diana and I continue to consume the food in front of us, my father walks in, a cup of coffee in one hand, and a bundle of letters in the other. He looks as if he just woke up.

"Good morning." I greet him.

He takes a sip from his coffee, setting it down on the table.

"I have some mail." He says, holding up a stack of letters.

Well, my father does check the mail every morning.

"Any for me?" I ask him.

"Let's see…" He mumbles, fumbling through the stack.

"One for Romana, one for Feliciano, one for Roma…" He states, setting them down on the table as he does.

"And one for you." He declares, holding it out for me.

"Is it from Anchovy?" I ask him, a bit excited.

He pauses, reading over the envelope.

"No, it's from Luna Nova." He claims.

"Luna Nova?" I question, taking the paper in hand.

Why would they send me a letter, and during Christmas Vacation of all times?

Curiously, I rip open the envelope, reading the paper that's inside.

'Dear Theodore Sempronia:

This is a forwarded letter to all of those involved in the participation of Luna Nova's Witch Parade. These include the following students: Atsuko Kagari, Sucy Manbavaran, Lotte Yanson, Amanda O'Neill, Constanze Amalie von Braunschbank-Albrechtsberger, and Jasminka Antonenko. Regarding the parade that was put on, it is demanded that you must return to Luna Nova immediately after receiving this letter. Failure in the following will result in an automatic suspension. Be aware that this shall mean being absent from your home on Christmas Day. In fact, it is estimated that the remainder of the vacation shall be spent at the school. Now, you may be rightfully curious as to why such a letter would be sent out, and with such a threat accompanied. This is of no fault to the school's faculty, and is entirely self inflicted by you and the rest of the parade participants. It is critical that upon entering the school, you directly make you way to principal Holbrooke's office. Failing to do so will also result in an automatic suspension. The importance of this meeting cannot be stressed enough, not only for your magical future, but for the future of Luna Nova itself. Further information on this topic shall be provided by Holbrooke upon entrance.'

Signed With Recognition:

Professor Finnelan'

The good feelings that were once felt have now left me entirely, replaced with worry and concern as to the purpose of the letter.

"Just what is it?" Diana asks me, leaning over.

"It sounds serious." I say grimily to her, handing her the letter.

As Diana reads it over, annoyance slowly takes shape.

"I knew Akko and her friends would only lead you to trouble." She scolds me. "Your involvement in the parade was unneeded, and now you're sucked up in her drama."

"What is it, son?" My father asks me, a hint of concern on his face.

I hand him the letter, not really sure what to think of it.

Maybe he can help.

Taking it, he reads it over, muttering

"Oh my…"

* * *

Waiting in front of the house, we can all see the taxi on the road, itself only drawing more near by the second.

The time for Diana and myself to leave has come.

I turn to my family, about to greet them all with a series of goodbyes.

However, before I can even utter the first word, Feliciano blindingly runs to me, grabbing me in a tight and constricting hug.

"I'm going to miss you…" He stops to sniffle a bit, a few of his tears staining my shirt. "So much!"

"Don't worry about it, big brother." I say, patting him on the back in comfort. "I'll be back for Spring Break."

I hear Romana grunt in response, saying

"Seriously, if they wanted you to come back so earlier, they should've just never let you leave!"

"I agree." My mother says. "To just force our child to come back during Christmas Break is a travesty."

"Now come on." My father interjects. "I'm sure they wouldn't have called them back if it wasn't important. I read the letter, and trust me, it does sound urgent."

"Yes, I can understand that." My mother says. "But it's still unethical."

"Damn right!" Romana shouts in agreement.

With my older brother still quivering on my shoulder, I can't help but remove myself from his shaky grasp, now facing the rest of my family.

"I don't like it either, but I have no choice." I remind them. "I'm not the only one who was called back. All my friends that were in the parade construction are also leaving their families."

"Luna Nova is a prestigious and honored school that tries it's hardest to keep up an appearance of respect." I inform them. "I agree with my father. They wouldn't have just called me back unless it was important."

My father smiles at this, happy that I agreed with him or perhaps that I took this bad news well, not crying like Feliciano and not angered like Romana.

"Go on Theodore, show them the pride of my youngest son!" He suddenly cries out.

I smile at this, saying with just as much enthusiasm.

"You don't need to tell me!"

But still, I find this new found energy swiftly coming to an end due to a sudden revelation.

Perhaps I was too preoccupied with packing up to notice.

"Is Grandpa Roma coming out?" I ask.

"I'm afraid not." He says, shaking his head. "You know how he is. Sleeps during most of the day, and is awake all throughout the night."

I feel Diana put a hand on my shoulder, getting my attention.

"Let's get going then." She says.

Of course, with the brief but ugly history that she has of him, it's only natural that she wants to leave without seeing him again.

It's a shame too. Grandpa Roma really is a great man once you get to know him.

With a sad sigh, I nod to Diana, the both of us grabbing our luggage.

"Goodbye son, maybe it won't be bad!" I hear my mother say, waving a hand at me.

"Don't forget to pull out!" Romana shouts in jest.

"If you get into trouble, wave your white flag with pride!" Feliciano honestly shouts.

"Safe travels!" My father says.

Diana and I also share our own words of farewell, the two of us now reaching the taxi.

We put our luggage away, and then find ourselves back in the taxi.

Just few days ago we were in a taxi, driving towards my home with the hope of staying for the extended period of time.

While I am happy that I came, both for seeing my family again, and growing my relationship with Diana, I can't help but feel a bit cheated out of this vacation.

Let's hope my mother was right, and it isn't anything serious.

I feel Diana tap me on the shoulder, getting my attention.

Turning to her, I notice that a slight flicker of disdain is seeped onto her face.

"Theodore...look." I hear her request.

Turning to where she desired, as if out of nowhere, I see Roma leaning against the open car window.

He stares at me, a small smile on his face.

I can't help but give one back, only this one is stronger than his own.

Even with what my grandfather tried to do, and what he said to Diana, I still can't help but feel the same love I felt for him when I left.

He came to wish us goodbye!

After nodding to me, he turns to Diana, saying

"I just want you to know that in times of crises, when people are desperate for protection for both themselves and their families, I'm here. When kids are left without parents, they seek a weapon best suited to drive off any robbers or murderers. I provide the means to change the world, turning chaos into a profit, when otherwise it would've been left as just chaos. Isn't that a noble deed?"

However, Diana doesn't even look at him, saying nothing as she continues to stare out the windshield of the car, hoping that we shall depart soon.

The taxi driver starts up the car, letting us know that the time to leave is now.

Roma looks at Diana, then at me, saying

"I want you two to remember, in devastation there is opportunity."

And with this, the taxi rolls across the road, making its way to the airport, as to our chosen destination.

Overall, it was rather strange for the school to send for not only my return, but the return of everyone involved with the parade.

Perhaps they wish to discuss the almost complete failure the parade was, with the titan and all that. After all, it did almost result in the town's destruction, as well as just another stain on the image of witches and wizards.

But that may not be the case. I feel if that were the problem, then they would've confronted us about it right after that night, and not give us a vacation.

This whole situation is entirely strange, not only due to the nature of the letter, but due to the threat it contained.

The staff of Luna Nova are mostly a serious group of people. To threaten students with expulsion is no laughing matter.

It must be serious business, whatever it is.

"Hey Theodore, I got something for you." I hear from Diana, the displeasure she once felt now gone.

Turning to her, I see her holding something, a smile on her face.

Whatever it is, it's in the shape of a can, covered up by Christmas wrapping, complete with a little bow.

I take it, hearing whatever's inside rattling around.

"What's this?" I ask her.

"Open it." She requests, still smiling.

I follow her instructions, tearing off the wrapping paper, revealing the item inside.

It's a tin of Pernigotti chocolates, complete with the little girl on the front.

Chocolates like these are known for their quality, and can be expensive.

I haven't had these in a while.

I look back up to her, a bit surprised and confused by this.

As if reading my thoughts, Diana says

"It's for our three hour anniversary."

Suddenly, she leans closer to me, a rather serious look on her face.

"So, where's mine?"

I'm left speechless, not at all expecting Diana to have been one of those girls.

My mouth is left agape, as I attempt to think of a way out of this sudden predicament that I've just found myself in.

Maybe I can find something in my bag, and just pretend it was a gift designed for her.

"I'm just kidding." Diana admits, chuckling a bit at my reaction. "It was supposed to be a Christmas present. But since you may be busy with whatever the school has planned, I decided to give it to you now."

I feel my heart begin to flutter slightly at this, as if melting like a piece of Pernigotti chocolate.

More often than not, the Christmas tree in my family remains empty, another money saving policy of Roma.

So, to see someone dear to me give me a gift, no matter the contents, I can't help but feel a little completely and utterly elated.

I think the last person to give me a Christmas present was Anchovy, a few years ago.

"I don't deserve you." I murmur to her, smiling at the present in my lap.

"I think you can try." Diana claims, before leaning in and giving me a quick kiss on the cheek.

Once again I find myself falling into supreme bliss, letting out a little moan, and making myself look like a complete idiot in the process.

The good feelings from before are back.

* * *

 **Author's Note: So fellows, it looks like the shipping has been officalized, and the Diakko boys and girls are already sharpening their axes, ready to do a march on my house.**

 **Don't forget to follow, fav, and comment. It means so much to me knowing that someone actually likes me, and would prefer me to live.**

 **And a reminder, if I get up 70 followers, I'll write another award winning Diakko. And for every other ten that float my way, a new Diakko will follow.**

 **Also, Wayward Bot is working on another great fanart, one celebrating the end of the year. So make sure to cyber bully him until it gets done!**

 **Love you people of unassumed genders. Hope you enjoy the final days of Christmas Break!**


	30. On An Adventure Again

**Author's Note: Cha ching, hey everybody, Legitamate Toaster here. Before we begin, it seems as though many great people have left many great comments.**

 **"Finally after all this time. I knew there would be mistletoe involved."**

 **I know right. It's been almost two years, and finally we've got some top notch ships.**

 **"I knew it! I just knew these two would be together! I'm so happy I can't put it into words!"**

 **It's good to see that some loyal viewers do enjoy this, and aren't lynching me for my crimes against Diakko.**

 **"Please tell me I wasn't the only one who noticed joe gatto's cameo"**

 **You are the only one who's told me, so I'd say you are the only one.**

 **"Do you know da wae?"**

 **I don't know the way, but I do go all the way. All the way, all the way, all the way to the Friendship Games.**

 **"After realizing that you wouldn't post as often I was forced into a corner"**

 **Well, let's hope that the corner just got a little bigger.**

 **Okay boys, this arc that we're currently in is inspired by a movie. As time goes on, it'll become more obvious, Whoever gets it right first shall receive a shoutout from your's truly.**

 **Also, I added a bonus scene for the last chapter, at the ending. I hope you boys enjoy, just as you'll enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

A singular ceiling fan slowly spins in the grey office room.

Overall, the whole room seems to share a similar tone to that of the fan.

The wooden table, covered with more dust than a sarcophagus, is overrun by all sorts of clutter. Books, maps, papers, pencils, and even a few empty pizza boxes.

The only item that would seem of any use would be the radio, playing some tune with the characteristic static, implying that the machine is many years old and in need of replacement.

As soon as their current situation was made clear to the faculty of Luna Nova, many ideas began to formulate of how to overcome such odds. However, the only one that was feasible was this. It was a risky idea, one that could backfire before it even began, and was riddled with potential dangers along the way, but it was an idea that could pay off well.

Normally, they would be off for the holidays, enjoying Christmas with their families, and possibly escaping some portion of the hectic life that a magical academy would bring, not in some dank room awaiting for some lone island survivor.

It had been only yesterday since they arranged this meeting, and for half an hour they had waited, sitting in this dingy room, on worn out chairs.

Ms. Finnalin inhales deeply as she remembers her slogan.

'A filthy room houses a filthy soul.'

Sensing her colleague's growing impatience, Principal Holbrooke lets out a light smile, saying

"Now Ms. Finnalin, let's not have our nerves get the better of us. This single meeting alone may be our only chance…" Her smile drops as she grimaces, reminded of their current situation.

The middle aged teacher lets out a sigh, saying

"Yes I understand, I just hope that this man arrives soon-"

Her flow of speech is cut off, as the man that they've been waiting for enters the room.

He is a large man, not one of fat, but one of muscle. He has oily black hair slid to the side, almost complementing his narrow brown eyes, and well chiseled chin.

He looks to be a man in young adulthood, not matching the ages of the two faculty members present.

Upon seeing his clients already in his office, he walks over offering a handshake to each of the witches.

"Hi, I'm Bob, you're friendly local neighborhood tour guide, and you must be the ones who called me." He welcomes them with a toothy smile.

"Hello there, my name is Ms. Holbrooke." The principal warmly greets him with the same kind of tone as a grandmother meeting her grandchildren, accepting his handshake.

"And I'm Finnalin." The other witch responds, slightly agitated by their wait, but also accepting.

The man takes a seat at his office desk, waiting for the reason of his calling.

Holbrooke is the first to speak.

"Let me just say that we've admired your story for years."

"Your struggles are truly inspiring." Finnalin adds with fake sincerity.

The two witches exchange glances at each other, knowing full well that this is where the friendliness ends, and the lies begin.

"I'm the principal of a private school near Wales, and we adore our students. We have an annual event where we send our top three valedictorians on a vacation, as a reward for all their hard work. I think we've sent them on just about every tour they can come up with. The Nile, Galapagos, K2."

"We even have three seats reserved on the first commercial venture to the bottom of the Marianas Trench." Finnalin adds, hoping to give their story more credibility through detail.

Holbrooke nods at this, confirming this false story, before continuing.

"And for the school's hundredth year since its founding, we wanted to do something really special for them."

"Something once in a lifetime." Finnalin adds.

"So, I've chartered an airplane to fly our students over Filicudi, and we'd like you to be their guide."

Bob Jones physically cringes upon hearing those words.

It had been many years since The Filicudi Incident, but the memories still had a habit of haunting him from time to time.

He scratches his chin uncomfortably, thinking of anyway out of this proposal.

"That's uh...thats a very kind offer, Ms. Holbrooke, but I'm a very, very busy man. I can recommend a couple of guys who are really highly qualified…"

His voice trails off as he notices her shaking her head at his words.

"No, no. You're the best. You've seen these monsters in the flesh. There's no one who comes close to you."

This was true. It happened too long ago to where Bob couldn't remember if he was the lone survivor of the incident, and was too scared to look into it for himself.

To Finnalin and Holbrooke, this mattered little. They had a local from Filicudi right there in front of them. It would be very difficult to find another one, and none of them were tour guides such as Bob.

Still hesitant, Bob says

"We wouldn't be able to fly low enough to see anything of any real interest."

It was also true. Since the incident, the island was deemed too dangerous for tourists and locals alike. It had been declared a no go zone, and was illegal to intrude upon, and left abandoned. But the two witches knew the risk, and that had confidence in their magical abilities, or should they say, the magical capabilities of their students. Besides, they are desperate.

"Well, you see, that's the interesting part, because we have permission to fly low." Finnalin lies.

"How low?" The man asks, now interested.

"Well, I'm no aviation expert, but a lot lower than anybody else." Holbrooke claims, a smile on her face to add to the persuasion.

"That's hard to believe." Bob scoffs, chuckling a bit at the idea.

Sensing his disbelief, the principal leans in a bit, folding her hands together.

"You see, my school is home to many students from all sorts of backgrounds, countries, and nationalities…" Holbrooke explains, this being one of the few truthful things she's said in the room. "And due to this, i've made a lot of friends in high places. In this case, the Italian government."

Again, another lie in hopes of coaxing this man to their side.

This whole operation alone is based on lies and deceit, but if the school is at stake, it's a necessary sin that the two will have to carry.

"Mr. Jones, you have no idea how important it is that you come along." The other witch claims. "It would make all the difference."

"Ms. Finnalin, l-"

Bob's cut off as Holbrooke pulls out a checkbook from her purse, accompanied by a pen.

Money had always been something that spoke to Bob, especially nowadays.

The demand for a tour guide has significantly decreased over the years due to the rise in technology and the increase in information access. Bob Jones, the tour guide, belongs to a different breed.

Money had been tight for him for many years, shown by the state of his office. Ms. Holbrooke knew of this, and was one of the reasons why Bob was chosen out of all the other tour guides. She knew that he was in a financial situation, much like the two witches.

There is a great amount of treasure on Filicudi, enough to pay off whatever money that Bob desired. It would be a simple investment.

"l could write all kinds of numbers on this check, Mr. Jones." Holbrooke claims, clicking the button on her pen, firing out the ink needle.

She could see Bob's eyes light up at the check, as a smile began to form on his face.

They got him.

Smirking at this, Holbrooke puts the pen to the paper, asking

"So tell me, what's it going to take?"

* * *

It's a little strange.

Diana and I had only left the ancient magical school of Luna Nova for only a few days, a week at most. We had traveled across the continent, from one landmass to another, leaving a culture and a language prematurely for another. The time that we had forsaken this place had been short.

Yet, I can't help but feel an air of nostalgia, as if I'm some kind of alumni visiting for a reunion.

Maybe it's jet lag, or just myself becoming accustomed to the Italian air.

Either way, I can't help but feel similar to myself when I first arrived here.

It's true, the tower bearing The Sorcerer's Stone is still enormous to me, and the crystal itself still resonates the very bright green light as it always has. It seems as though not much has changed.

I say not much because rather than an acceptance letter in my hand, it's another hand, more specifically, Diana's hand.

Whether it's in Italy or in England, Diana still looks very gorgeous.

Not only that, but her beauty is only matched by her brains and heart.

It's almost a crime that she's one of a kind. The world could use more of her.

I'm truly lucky that out of all the women in the world, God chose myself to encounter her.

Diana catches my gaze, and gives me a light but bright smile in return.

It would be hard to distinguish the time when I started to have deep feelings for this woman, but it's clear that they are apparent now. I was only lucky that she beared the same admiration for me.

The vacation in Italy may have been short, but it definitely left a lasting effect, something that might not have happened otherwise.

And now, thanks to the romance of the holidays and of the country setting, those mutual feelings have now blossomed into something grander.

Even if that's all it added up to, I'd happily give away five or more Christmas Vacations for this.

When I first entered this school, I was alone, not knowing anyone, and more or less blind to the studies of magic, my only credible material being a piece of paper and a dream of family restoration.

And now it's just Diana and I, hand and hand, walking to our destination together.

As we enter the building, I can't help but notice that with the student body and staff gone for Christmas Break, the whole school feels like a ghost town, the only sound being our footsteps. The noticeable coldness of winter also doesn't help with my deduction.

As Diana and I walk through the empty halls together, it all starts to feel familiar again.

I can just picture all the students running around, getting to their classes, and experiencing everything that this school can offer.

It's a slight shame that Diana and I aren't here for the magical education, but instead have to deal with whatever Principal Holbrooke has in mind. It was something about Luna Nova's Witch Parade, but besides that I have no idea.

Maybe they want us to discuss our encounter with The Titan, or maybe even try and learn our methods for the next generation of parades.

Both seem unlikely, but I can't think of any other reason.

Diana suddenly stops, releasing her grip from my hand, as she turns to face me, a dull expression on her face.

"What is it, Diana?" I ask her.

She briefly draws silent, analyzing my face.

"How do you feel about the letter?" She asks me.

"I'm a bit upset that we had to leave Italy and our vacation." I admit. "But whatever it is, it must be an important matter that requires whatever assistance Principal Holbrooke desires from us."

I pause for a moment, asking

"How do you feel?"

"I'm just worried." Diana sighs out. "The contents of the letter is truly disturbing and vague at that, not to mention your now involved with Akko and the rest of the problem students. I'd hate for anything to happen to you."

I smile at her, saying

"Don't worry, Diana. Whatever it is, I'm sure I can handle it. I'm not scared of anything."

Diana rolls her eyes at this, an amused smile on her face.

Then, as if the cold from the outside was not the weather, but death approaching, a chilling voice creeps along the back of my neck.

"Hello."

"Oh my god!" I scream out of terror, jumping in fear, as I twist around to face my tormentor.

Fortunately, I am not greeted with the very embodiment of death, but someone not so far off.

A grinning Sucy is all I see, clearly amused by my reaction.

"Hey." She casually greets me, a smirk on her face.

Only now do I realize that Akko and Lotte are behind her.

"Come on, Sucy." Lotte scolds her. "You haven't seen him in weeks, and this is how you greet him?"

Sucy nonchalantly shrugs at this.

"I thought it was pretty funny!" Akko claims, giggling at its memory." I mean, did you see how far he jumped?!"

"Yeah, even when you're flying on a broom, Ted can get more air then you." Sucy says to Akko.

"Take that back!" Akko snaps at her dormmate.

"Yeah, sorry, I shouldn't use the word 'flying'. More like 'flailing angrily'."

I bite my lip, forcing my smile down.

These two haven't changed a bit.

While the two continue to bicker, Lotte walks up to me.

I remember, the last time I saw her was during the parade.

She left for her family earlier than most. She wasn't even there when The Cupid Bee stung me.

But even with this long time no see basis, it's still nice to see her again.

As if Lotte herself feels these same emotions, she smiles at me, asking

"Hello Theodore, how was break?"

I return her smile. I might even have hugged her if Diana wasn't standing so close to me.

"It was good to be back home, and see my family again. How was your trip?"

She smiles at the memory.

"It was nice to see my mom again. She was practically on the verge of tears when she read the letter."

I could see that.

I don't know Lotte's mom, but I am very familiar with her dad.

After what happened, I can see why she would be clinging to those family members around her. And just who knows how similar Lotte's mom is to her, friendliness, sensitivity and the like.

I wonder if Lotte told her mom about her reconciliation with her dad.

I'm sure it was very tempting, but I doubt it. Lotte knows about Mendacius and his powers. I've made sure she's well informed.

"Have you seen Amanda, or her roommates?" I ask Lotte.

She shakes her head.

"No, but I doubt they'd ignore this message, not even Amanda. If she didn't like magic school, then why did she sign up?"

I nod at this, agreeing with her logic.

Lotte notices Diana at my side.

"Oh…" She gasps, a bit surprised to see her here. "Hello Diana. How was your vacation?"

"I spent it with Theodore's family." Diana informs her. "I came here due to that reason."

Out of all the friends I've made at the school, I think Diana approves of Lotte the most.

She doesn't actively try to get into trouble, and is often dragged into those scenarios created by Akko or Sucy, sometimes both.

Occasionally, I think that if Lotte were to separate herself from their antics, her grades could match that of Diana. She is certainly smart, and has the potential to excel in several of her classes.

I suppose she chose great friendships over great grades.

To each their own.

Diana notices that Akko is still giving Sucy an earful, even if the latter isn't listening.

"The Principal asked for you as soon as you arrived here, or risk expulsion." Diana reminds the two. "You should cease this petty arguing, and arrive there soon."

Akko goes to open her mouth in protest, but hesitates.

Diana's right, even if Akko would never agree to this verbally.

Akko mutters a few words of slander to the blonde, getting whatever rage she was just experiencing out of her system.

With Diana's statement still hanging in the air, the five of us continue to move through the halls, on the way to the principal's office.

While Akko, Lotte and Sucy chat in the back, Diana and I take up the front.

Diana and I have ceased the hand holding from before.

I'm not sure if that was a conscious decision on Diana's part, but it's probably for the best.

It's not that I'm afraid of exposing the relationship between Diana and I to Sucy and Lotte, it's Akko that I'm worried about.

Akko is not one to normally abuse the power of self control, and if she found out that I was dating her rival, I think she'd pop and repeat the same events that transpired during the school's orientation.

Of course, that may be unlikely.

I'm sure the risk of expulsion has done more than enough to keep Akko in check.

If she really want to be like Shiny Chariot, it would be rather hard when she doesn't have a magic school to show her the path, even if that path is looked down upon by most.

And as for me, the threat of expulsion has sure kept me in school.

What's worse is we don't even know what has caused our calling back to school. It could be something simple, or something horrendous, probably the second one.

I just can't seem to get a break with this school, even when I'm supposed to be on break.

In a quick motion, Akko breaks away from her roommates, quickly making her way to my side.

I'm a bit surprised to see this, as the only thing between Diana and Akko is me, the two girls are on either side of me.

I'd of thought that Akko would want to keep as much distance between her and the blonde as possible.

Maybe she wants to say a few quick spats at Diana before we arrive.  
"So, how was your vacation?" Akko gleefully asks me.

Or maybe she just wants to catch up for lost time.

"It went well. I visited a friend I hadn't seen in a while, and it was good to see my family again." I reply, purposely leaving out what I consider the best part of the vacation. "How was it for you?"

Akko beams at the memories.

"I had a great time in Japan! My family and I visited Usa, Roanapur, and Aokigahara!"

I raise an eyebrow at the last location, its name known throughout the world for a grim tradition.

Akko pouts at this.

"There's more stuff to do there, you know?"

"Japan?" Sucy asks, now joining our conversation. "That country with harakiri, kamikaze, and cherry blossoms, right?"

"What century are you even talking about?" Akko questions, laughing at her friend's summarization of the country.

A few seconds later, we finally reach our destination, the principal's office is now in sight.

I think the last time I was here was my first day arriving, when I had to convince Ms. Holbrooke to allow me to attend. I'm not sure what caused her change of heart, whether it was my spoken reasons, or something else entirely.

Even still, she didn't have to do that.

I could've been turned away at the door, and never would've come to know the wonders of this school, or meet all my new friends, never have these new experiences, some good while some are bad.

But they've still become an integral part of my something, something that I'll never forget about.

I don't think I ever could.

Originally, I was a bit annoyed on the airplane ride, not to mention the long taxi ride back here.

But now, reflecting on the principal, the teachers, this school, the students, I'm no longer objecting.

I am in their debt for taking me in, and will do whatever they have brought us here to do.

They do not need to threaten me with expulsion.

With Diana at my side, and the rest of the girls behind me, I push open the door, ready to face whatever task they require of us.

Inside, I see Principal Holbrooke sitting at her desk, with Professor Finnalin standing at her side.

Besides us, they are the only two in the room.

Upon seeing us enter, Holbrooke turns her attention to the blonde beauty next to me.

"Diana?" The principal asks, surprised. "I don't remember calling for your return."

"I was spending the winter break with Theodore." She explains. "I was forced to follow him as a result."

Upon hearing this, the principal gives a light smirk directed at the two of us.

"Hmmm…" She murmurs to herself, that smile never leaving her face.

She stares at us analytically, as if already knowing of our recently created relationship just by looking at us.

If she knows, then she doesn't bring it up, as she says

"Well, it's good nonetheless that you're here. The news we have should also pass into your ears as well."

The principal slumps in her seat, herself being so short that only her head is exposed, the rest of her body being underneath her desk.

As she begins to work herself up into saying whatever she was going to say, the door opens.

"Yo, what up?" Amanda asks as she casually enters the room, Constanze and Jasminka in tow.

"Are we late?" Jasminka asks us, a remorseful expression on her face.

I see Constanze close the door in her normal silent state.

"You three made it!" Akko beams at the three.

"Yeah, school might not be my thing, but expulsion really isn't either." Amanda declares.

"So, how was your vacation?" Akko asks her, running the short distance to engage in proper conversation.

"Me and my folks-"

"Quiet!" Finnalin demands, silencing the two into mutual obedience.

Ms. Finnalin can surely be scary when she wants to be, even against the self proclaimed rebellious Amanda.

The Professor wordlessly nods her head towards Holbrooke.

Now, all eyes lie in the Principal, awaiting for the reason of our calling to finally be explained.

She folds her hands together, sighing to herself, before mournfully saying

"We're in debt."

"What?!" Akko cries out in shock, breaking the low volume that the Principal's voice had just established.

Diana raises an eyebrow, joining Akko in confusion.

"But Principal Holbrooke, Luna Nova has been in economic trouble for a while. Surely you don't mean…"

Her voice trails off as the short woman sitting begins to sadily shake her head.  
"While it is no secret that Luna Nova has had financial problems in the past, I fear that they may be a bit more than we can handle now."

"Are you kidding me?!" Akko demands angrily. "How could you let this happen?!"

"It was your doing." Finnalin declares, a scowl on her face.

"What?!" Akko cries out for a second time, now more angry than confused.

"Your actions, the actions of those involved in Luna Nova's Witch Parade, have caused this." Finnalin elaborates, casting a glare at Akko.

"Ms. Finnalin, I don't understand." I politely inform her."What happened?"

Now engaging in discourse with me, Ms. Finnalin loses some of her anger.

She grabs what looks like a piece of paper from the Principal's desk next to her, reading it aloud to us.

"Thirty kilograms of festival food: seven hundred pounds, supplies to build the float: one thousand pounds, magical fireworks: two thousand four hundred pounds."

She tosses the list onto the desk, a slightly annoyed expression ruining her normally light hearted face.

"Shall I continue?"

I take a nervous gulp at this, beginning to realize what this means.

"And, what was that?" Amanda asks.

"A receipt." Holbrooke answers.

"You're outrageous overspending for the parade have bled our already withered vaults dry." Finnalin reminds us.

Amanda snaps her head at Akko.

"Akko, what the hell?!" She demands.

"What?!" Akko defensively whines. "They gave me a credit card and told me to spend it for the parade!"

"Anything within the budget!" Finnalin shouts at her.

I remember now.

After the incident at the market, the few of us that were still on board for the parade dropped out, and left Akko alone with it.

Sure, she did manage to build a wonderful float and provide us with beautiful fireworks and the like, but all of that costs money, something that Akko seemed to forget.

"Normally, for this apathetic spending and defunding of our school, we would force you to repay the damages in full, as well as an expulsion from this school." Ms. Holbrooke informs her. "But, we are aware that you're family is indeed incapable of repaying such costs."

"And indeed, even if the costs were to be paid in full, that would still leave us on the precipice of another financial crisis." Finnalin adds.

"Yes." Holbrooke nods at her colleague. "That is why we've had to be creative."

"Creative?" I ask her.

"Are any of you familiar with The Filicudi Incident?" Holbrooke asks us all.

Almost everyone gives a collective mutter of 'no', and some shake their hand in a similar answers.

"I heard about it in a newspaper years ago." I inform them. "But I'm not knowledgeable on the details."

Principal Holbrooke nods at this, before continuing on with her explanation.

"Filicudi is a small island in the Mediterranean sea, apart of the Aeolian Archipelago. It was once a quiet little community, housing no more than a few seaside towns, a small little tourist center it was. But about ten years ago, without any warning, swarms of monsters began to appear on the island, killing and harassing the local inhabitants. A mass evacuation took place, leaving the island desolite of human life. But to this day, the monsters still remain. From then on, they used the island as a sort of command center, raiding nearby coasts for their treasures, and then taking it back to Filicudi for safe keeping."

Ah yes, that's right.

I do remember reading something like that in a newspaper article years ago, but just dismissed it as tabloids, and perhaps a coverup to another reason of the island's evacuation.

"What treasures have the creatures taken?" I hear Diana ask.

"Current Money, ancient relics, old paintings, anything worth any value."

"It's just a treasure trove ready for plundering." Ms. Finnalin adds. "It's been sanctioned off by the Italian government

"So let me get this straight." Amanda requests. "We're all going to go to some treasure island to fight monsters?"

Holbrooke nods at this.

"Sounds cool!" The red head sounds off.

"Not quite." The principal says, now shaking her head. "There's just one problem, even with credit, we were only able to pay for four, so only three of you shall go."

"Three?" Diana asks. "If I heard you right, I thought you just said four."

Once again, she shakes her head.

"I did, but, you see, even if the island is full of treasure, it would be no use sending you in when you have no knowledge of the geography. We aren't happy about asking for your help, especially during Christmas Vacation, we want you to be in and out as soon as you can, especially considering the habitation of hostile creatures on the island."

"So, who will be going with us?" Diana asks.

"Bob Jones, a local inhabitant of Filicudi at the time of its fall, now works as a tour guide. We've already convinced him to join you."

The Principal now directs her attention to all of us.

"So, we have chosen carefully on who will be joining this expedition."

"Akko has no choice since she put us into this crisis to begin with." Finnalin adds in a matter of fact way.

"Hey?! What did you just say-"

Finnalin shoots Akko another one of her death glares, her eyes piercing through the souls of everyone who can bear witness.

"Hehehe...right, I'll go…" Akko sheepishly says, rubbing the back of her head.

"It sounds dangerous, an island full of violent monsters guarding their stolen treasure." I hear Lotte contemplate.

"Oh no…" Holbrooke strongly argues. "Just think of it as an expanded version of our labyrinth assignment you had at the start of the school year. Go in, possibly fight a few creatures, take a fair sum of treasure, and get out. It shouldn't take longer than a day or two."

"With a bit of luck, you'll all be back within the week, and return to your respective families to finish your vacation with a few stories to tell." Finnalin adds.

"We at least hope that'll you'll be back within the week." Holbrooke sighs to herself. "It's best that you're in and out without drawing attention."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"When the island was evacuated, the island was deemed uninhabitable and dangerous, and was thus sanctioned off by the Italian government. Normally we would forgo committing such acts of dissidence, but we see no other choice."

"What?! Are you crazy?!" Akko demands with pure sympathy in their situation. "I'm sure if we ask, someone would donate money to us. I mean, who wouldn't want to preserve the wonderful world of magic?!"

Holbrooke sighs at this, as if to a child who doesn't know any better.

"It should be no surprise to any of you, but the popularity in magic has been in decline for a long time, and is but a shadow of its former self. Many believe that magic is an outdated thing that has no place in the modern world, and thus we are forced to find a way on our own."

"And we wouldn't want a certain investor angry." Finnalin murmurs to the principal.

"Yes, that's true." Holbrooke agrees, nodding at the teacher.

"How scary can these debt collectors be?" I hear Amanda scoff. "We're witches. I'm sure we can handle a few strong armed beef heads."

"Let me ask you a question, Ms. O'Neil." The principal requests, folding her hands together in a very matter of fact way. "What is a witch to a dragon?"

Amanda raises an eyebrow at this.

"What? A dragon? What does that have to do with anything?"

"Our 'strong armed beef head', as Amanda calls him, is a dragon named Fafnir." Finnalin informs us.

"Who?" The redhead asks, an eyebrow raised in confusion.

"He's an old grumpy dragon who's loaned a great deal of money into our school. If we are unable to pay him back, with interest, I fear the actions he may take." Holbrooke grimily informs us.

"I heard that dragons used to skin witches alive and feast on them." I hear Sucy say, a vague hint of a smirk on her face.

I feel my mouth open and agape in disbelief, and I'm sure many of the other witches are feeling the same.

Only now do I understand the significance of this time in Luna Nova history.

Due to overwhelming financial troubles, the parade spending being a tipping point, the thin reserves of Luna Nova's treasury have run dry.

And now, faced with certain and final foreclosure, Holbrooke and Finnalin are willing to break several laws such as entering the restricted and dangerous area of Filicudi, and putting three of their students at risk, nevermind how small.

It was at first a wonder to me on why they would do this. Normally, the school's primary concern in about preserving and teaching the traditions of magic. Sending students to a monster infested island is not entailed.

But now with the involvement of this possibly angry dragon investor, I can see that the risks that are going to be taken in the near future are risks that are worth taking.

The future of the school is in question, and this could create a domino effect that could spell disaster for all other magical schools, and possibly the future of the craft as a whole.

I can see why they require our assistance.

As if sharing my same thoughts, I hear Amanda step forward, saying firmly

"You can count me in. I don't want to be a draft dodger."

The principal shakes her head, at this stopping Amanda in her tracks.

"While I appreciate the offer, I will have to decline."

Visibly hurt by this rejection, the redhead asks

"What? Why?"

"We already have a list made up of the top two among you, in terms of your destruction magic capabilities." Holbrooke answers.

"Akko already takes up one seat." Finnalin reminds us. "But the other two have already been decided."

"But, I have a pretty good grade in that class!" Amanda argues, not wanting to miss this opportunity for adventure. "It's one of the few classes I actually like, broom riding class being the other."

"It was originally going to be yourself and Theodore…" Holbrooke says to Amanda, all the while turning her gaze to the blonde next to me. "But we did not expect Diana to be here."

"I was thinking the same thing." Finnalin informs her boss.

"Diana…" The principal begins, now focusing on the blonde. "You are the best student in Luna Nova's entire history. In every class your grade's the best, and that includes Destruction Magic. If you were to join this expedition, I could see no room for failure, even if Akko were to be involved."

"We realize that you were not involved in the parade's construction, and thus you are not being forced. You are being asked." Finnalin adds. "You may deny involvement in this affair."

All eyes fall onto Diana, herself staring at the principal with a look of stoic anticipation, her eyes burning.

I've known Diana long enough to be able to guess her answer accurately. I think it's obvious.

Diana is a lifelong magic practitioner, not a new mage like Akko and I. She is very proud of the magical capabilities of both her and her family.

To see Luna Nova, the most prestigious magic school in all of Europe, fall after a long history simply due to financial issues, and not even lifting a hand in protest, would disgrace Diana in her own eyes, as well as leave an empty guilt sitting heavy in her stomach.

To Diana, it is not only a desire, but an obligation.

Without blinking, or a second thought, Diana affirmatively answers.

"Of course, I'll always assist the school in times of hardship."

The principal nods at this, her face softening from the relief of Diana's acceptance.

"And what happens to us?" Amanda asks for the remaining witches.

"Don't worry, you'll play your part." Holbrooke comforts her. "While Theodore, Diana, and Akko train and prepare themselves for the expedition, the rest of you shall help them in your own ways."

"We'll inform you of your jobs tomorrow, after you've had time to rest from your journey." Finnalin explains.

It seems strange that I'm involved in this affair, myself not officially being apart of the parade project, only slipping in occasionally to help out during construction and showtime. I guess they were somehow informed of my assistance, and just considered myself as guilty as Akko and the rest of them.

Either that, or they're using whatever excuse they can to have me join the expedition.

My knowledge in destruction magic is far above standard, I dare say.

I'd like to show some sign of refusal, but I can't.

I'm still bounded by my thoughts earlier, the idea that I'm in debt to the school for letting me in.

Besides, maybe I can pocket a few of the lesser items, and return them to my home in Rome.

I'm sure Roma would be quite pleased if I sent him a few priceless artifacts.

"And the thing about Bob Jones…" Holbrooke continues, interrupting my line of thought. "Is that he is ill informed about the expedition. He believes that I am simply sending a select few of my students for a simple tour over the island via airplane. He is unaware of our plan to land and to treasure hunt. It is imperative that you keep this a secret until it is too late for him to back out."

"Isn't it mean?" Lotte asks, a bit nervous upon hearing this. "What'll happen once he realizes he's been deceived?"

I'll admit, even to me, it doesn't sound like the best move to make.

However, when the future of the school is at risk, it's easy to see why the principal is willing to resort to such actions.

"While Mr. Jones may be angry upon this revelation, we're sure that with the promise of great wealth in exchange for his compliance, he may be more willing to help us then we can imagine." Holbrooke hypothesizes.

"He's in financial troubles, the same as us." Finnalin informs us. "If he can achieve a simple solution to a serious problem, I'm sure he'll be eager to assist."

"Then why not just tell him the truth?" I ask. "If money is all that will sway him, why not tell him about the wealth we're going to have?"

"He doesn't need to know the details." Ms. Finnalin says coldy. "This way, we are assured that Mr. Jones will join us. We're getting him out of debt. We're helping him."

A moment of silence passes, letting what Finnalin said hang in the air.

It seems that anywhere you go, no matter if it's school, home, or in the presence of the god of deception and lies, falsehoods will always be synthesized. No matter the purpose or the reason, good or bad, to save the school or conquer the world, lies shall always make an appearance. They are an everyday part of life, made by the best and worst of us. They are inescapable.

Holbrooke breaks the silence, saying

"To sum up our happenings, our school is locked in financial trouble due to poor money management during the parade. Diana, Akko, and Theodore shall spend the next few days preparing for the travel to Filicudi, an island overrun by monsters and treasure, that has been restricted by the Italian government. Bob Jones, a native, will accompany you and assist with pathfinding. Hopefully, by the time you land, Mr. Jones would've been coaxed by the prospect of financial security to not put up any resistance. In a few days, once a satisfying amount of treasure has been accumulated, you will return here. Then you may return back to your families for the remainder of Christmas Break."

"If there are no questions, you may be dismissed to your dormitories." Holbrooke declares.

A collective silence proves that there are, indeed, no questions.

With this, Diana turns to face me, wrapping her soft hands around mine.

I hear Akko gasp in startlement.

Ignoring her, and undoubtedly the hushed whispers of the others, Diana looks at me longingly, saying

"I'm going to put my bags away in my room."

I stand there frozen, taking her hands in, partially by the warmth we share, and by the whole unexpectedness of the whole situation.

I feel all eyes on us, some burning with rage more than others.

Diana affectionately squeezes my hand, sending me back into reality.

"I'll see you later?" She asks me.

Nodding with a smile, I reply

"Definitely."

Visibly happy by my answer, Diana leans into me, giving me a quick kiss before letting go, exiting the room.

"Wha-" Akko begins to scream again in response, only to have an annoyed Sucy silence her with a hand to the mouth.

That doesn't stop the others from reacting.

"Whoa-ho-ho!" Amanda sounds off.

I think Holbrooke and Finnalin are also throwing whispered words to each other.

As if in pain by this, I grab my suitcase, leaving the room, as the others follow in pursuit.

"Guess I was wrong about the Theodotte." Sucy shrugs. "It's more like Dianadore, or Theodiana."

"That was so adorable."Jasminka claims. "It was like a romance novel, or a fanfiction."

I hear Constanze grunt in agreement.

"So, how did this happen?" I hear Amanda ask.

I ignore her, too embarrassed to face them.

"Did you confess during Christmas Break? Come on, I want to hear all the juicy details!" The red head persists.

"It's not like we predicted this, or anything." Sucy sarcastically claims.

I stop, turning to face everyone, and freeze.

They're all bearing bated breath, eagerly awaiting for the information to begin flowing their way. Even Akko, who is expressing sheer displeasure at this, has a spark of curiosity in her eyes.

I glance at Lotte, her eyes wide underneath her glasses, also wanting to know as well.

Well, if Lotte wants to know, then who am I to deny her?

Signing at this new situation, I almost want to take the kiss back.

But only almost.

* * *

 **Author's Note: And there you go boys, your lovable characters have found themselves in a whole new world.**

 **Little Witch Academia: The Chamber of Time is going to come to the west on February 20th. I myself am counting down the days.**

 **Also, Wayward Bot, also known as ThouthineaThoth on Deviantart, has created some more Little Wizard Academia fanart! Make sure to check that out!**

 **Also, it seems as though the time is drawing near. The second anniversary of this fanfics founding is coming next month. The last one had a story based off of a movie, but this one shall be different. It will be a collection of several scenes from the fanfic, with a twist. They will be written and played out as if Theodore Sempronia was a self insert, Mary Sue, Gary Sue type of guy. Have a scene in mind? Don't hesitate to tell me!**

 **Also, as some of you know, I'm taking a creative writing class. We had been assigned to make a film haiku, that is, a haiku that sums up a movie of our choosing. Myself being the weeaboo that I am, chose Little Witch Academia. Enjoy!**

 **'The clumsy witch falls**

 **Magic is not her strong point**

 **But her heart believes'**

 **Yes, cry at its beauty.**

 **While your doing that, don't forget to follow and fav, as well as comment!**

 **We're only two away from me writing a diakko, with my own nice little twist.**


	31. The Second Anniversary Special

**Author's Note: Hey everybody, welcome to the lounge, all my fellow loungers, chillers, ballers, and grillers. Well boys and girls, after too long of waiting, I've finally updated. And just what update is this? Well, my second anniversary special of course, the first one being known throughout the land for its autism and pure European senselessness. But before we begin with this horrendous story, let me respond to some comments, and trust me, it's a lot!**

" **I kind of have an idea of how this arcs going to end but im just a lousy self proclaimed man. I would love to see the moment of sucy invading teds personal space lol. Also in the news,I liked this chapter a lot,I missed the red team and theodiana."**

 **Well, I hope down the line that that idea shall blossom into a full on epiphany. And you'll see a lot of Akko and the rest of the red team, consider it payback.**

" **I wonder how many Diakko fans with sharpened axes are at RomanVikings house now?..."**

 **There were about 37 radicalized diakkos ravaging myself and my house, would probably explain the lack of an update.**

" **Future prez here, I liked how diana just left theodhore to explain the situation and put him on the spot im getting tired having to check in every day for the new chapter,but as a loyal fan I am sad that a fanfic update is the highlight of my month."**

 **I recognize and appreciate your loyalty to this fanfic, and am happy to say that the update is now.**

" **Two questions:**

 **1\. When will you update?**

 **2\. Why is this a tragedy?"**

 **Two answers:**

 **1\. Now**

 **2\. Wait and find out.**

" **I really should mention I am a HUGE fan of this story and would appreciate it for you to enjoy the story as I do."**

 **Thank you my good sir for your love of my story. I always get a bit giddy inside when I see a comment like this. And yes, I think I do enjoy the story as much as you, maybe even more.**

" **si no te molesta, podrias hacer una version Reading de esta historia? ,realmente quisiera ver las rreacciones de las chicas ante esta excelente historia"**

 **Okay, so I translated this Papa into English, and this is what it said:**

" **If you don't mind, could you do a Reading version of this story? , I really want to see the rreacciones of the girls in this excellent story"**

 **I'm not sure if your aware, but this is already a reading version. I assume you meant something else. If you can tell me just what that is, I can answer your question, my good Inigo Montoya cosplayer.**

" **Happy 2 year anniversary you shmuck,There better be a new update today or tomorrow for the special.**

 **Signed,**

 **The most loyal fan,the president"**

 **Thank you sir. Here it is.**

 **Well, the time has come. The time for yourselves to indulge in sin, and damn yourselves to Hell just by reading this sacrilege. I'm positive that you'll enjoy the story, HIV positive.**

* * *

Ch. 1

"Igottogodosomething!"

And with that, the mystery girl with glasses begins to run down the hallway, leaving me in a state of confusion.

After first arriving at this school, I expected to be met by witches and wizards alike, all eager to learn and consume themselves in the vast array of magical knowledge that this school has to offer.

But instead, only groups of girls, all giving me stink eyes, hiding behind their cruel whispering and gossip was all I was greeted by.

And the only one I was able to stop, the short haired girl with huge glasses, left me in the dust, retreating from my gaze as if I was some sexually corrupted demon.

Trying to brush this harsh encounter to the side, I continue my walk, hoping to find some kind of answer to my dilemma.

I stop my pacing as a new witch comes into contact.

She's older than all the others that I've been faced with. She also has blue hair, most of it concealed due to her witch hat.

"Excuse me, but what's going on?" I ask.

She stops her walk, gazing at me, as if confused by my very presence.

"Well now, it seems as though you are lost." She informs me, her eyes analyzing me, as if wondering as to the reason of my presence.

"I am."

"Well, then come with me." She beckons me. "My name is Ms. Ursula by the way."

I follow her through the halls until we come to an office.

It is a rather big room, with bookshelves on either sides, and a desk in the middle. Behind the desk was a big window. On the desk was what looked like a snake statue coiled around a branch.

The principal herself is sitting behind the desk, a rather short, old woman with green hair and glasses.

"Excuse me principal, sorry for barging in, but we have a problem." said Ursula.

The principal raises an eyebrow.

"What, a problem? But it's only the first day..."

Her voice trails off as she sees me standing behind the professor.

Upon viewing me, her wrinkled mouth turns into a deep smile, her eyes looking me over up and down.

"So, what can I do for this sexy little fella?" The principal asks.

Something tells me that this is no ordinary school.

While it was blatantly obvious due to the use of magic, I can feel it in the air, something else is going on, something that seems to be just under my huge fucking nose.

Ignoring these thoughts, I inform her the reason of my coming.

"I'm here to enroll at Luna Nova. I wish to become a wizard, and train with magic."

The principal sighs happily at me, staring at me longingly as someone would do with a window during the peak of boredom in a classroom environment.

"Well, this is an all girls school, so I normally wouldn't allow you in." She begins to giggle, like some school girl who's just encountered her crush. "But since you are super cute, sexy, smart, the main character, brave, strong, muscular, cute, and bae, I think I can make an exception."

Well that was a rather unorthodox approval.

Now, normally, I'm used to girls calling me all those names.

Back home in Italy, I was known as the Italian Stallion by most of the local women. Heck, even Romana, my sister, came onto me in her most lustful states.

But I'm saving myself for someone special, because I'm such a nice and admirable guy.

As I begin exit the room, I stop myself, as the voice of the principal reaches my ears.

"You know…"

I turn back to her, wondering just what she could want.

Maybe she wants to discuss with me my limits as being a guy at an all girls school, or ask me if I have any previous experience with magic.

"You're kinda cute." The principal claims, tracing around her lips with one of her wrinkled fingers. "Just how old are you?"

This sudden confession hits me.

I can feel my face grow a shade of red, as warmth begins to creep forward.

"Uhhh...I'm uhhh 16…" I manage answer, if a bit hesitant.

"Just two more years until legal." She proclaims, licking her crusty lips in satisfaction. "Two more year of waiting for me."

Just hearing these words uttered makes me physically cringe.

As stated earlier, I'm used to swarms of women lusting over me, but never elders.

"Isn't there some rule against sexual harassment on school grounds?" I meekly mutter, myself barely able to look the principal in the eyes.

I'm too pure and perfect for this.

In response to this, the principal leaves her position on her chair, climbing up onto the wooden table, laying on it with her legs spread.

"Now I'm not on school grounds." The principal proclaims, passion in her smile and lust in her ancient voice. "I'm on the table."

I put a hand to my face, covering up my field of vision from both embarrassment and shock.

"Sempronia, party of one, your table's ready." I hear her whisper.

I remove my hand, looking back up at her.

She ceases her smile, looking at me with a straight face.

"Eat me." She commands.

"Principal Holbrooke!" I hear Ursula cry out in surprise. "I demand that you stop this at once."

Hearing the first rational thing uttered gives me great relief.

Maybe I'm not the only sane person here.

I give a light smile to the blue haired teacher, sighing out

"Thank yo-"

"Because Theodore is mine, and mine alone!" I hear Ursula shout, before charging towards Holbrooke.

With blind fury, the teacher wraps her hands around the throat of the older woman, the two dropping to the floor, exchanging punches and harsh words.

While the two continue to fight for my affections, I can't help but ask myself one question.

I wonder if they like me.

* * *

Ch. 2

Here I am, standing face to face with Diana. Even if I wanted to back out, I couldn't, as the other students surround us like a wall.

The only thing that's missing is them chanting 'Fight! Fight! Fight!'

Even under the invigorating chant of war, I can't help but hesitate. Not because I'm afraid of Diana hurting me, but because I'm afraid of hurting Diana.

Ever since I started practicing magic, I've always been the best of the best.

My parents died at a very young age, and as an orphan I was sent to Celestia's School For Gifted Unicorns in Canterlot.

I was at the top of my class, handling whatever anypony gave me with stride and ease.

I was even offered to become an alicorn myself, and rule over all of Equestria with the two sisters but ultimately refused, because I'm such a humble and nice guy.

You could say that I was born with a wand in my hand.

"Diana, I'm not sure about this." I inform her. "I'm not experienced in regulating myself when it comes to fighting. I don't want to hurt you."

She flashes me a confident smirk, saying

"Don't worry Theodore, I can assure you that I can handle what you throw at me."

Even with her words of confirmation, I still hesitate.

Even Celestia and Luna had to team up to even hope to beat me in a magical duel.

I even won the Nobel Peace Prize for creating over one hundred spells, most of them focused on healing and defense.

But still, because I'm such a nice guy, I can't help but follow her request.

With a sigh, knowing that I might inflict damage onto her due to my immense and great power, I say

"Fine, I'll give you a sample."

I raise my wand in the air, causing a blue light to flash around, consuming myself in its glow.

Just as I planned.

Before anyone can blink, I teleport behind Diana, scoffing

"Nothing personnel, kid…"

With the swiftness of one of my anime katanas that I bought on Amazon, I strike her with a lightning bolt, cracking her in the back.

She staggers, reeling forward, her wand flying out of her hand, as she clenches her fists in pain.

After stumbling forward a few feet, she finally stops, tinkering on the edge of falling over from sheer exhaustion.

The whole room is dead quite, save for the labored breathing of Diana.

I told her I would do this.

Due to my amazing and sexy magic skills, I knew that this would be a cakewalk.

However, I can't but feel no pride in this victory.

It was like an insect fighting against a dinosaur.

However, I am a misunderstood dinosaur, more like a butterfly.

Feel bad for me, because I'm misunderstood and relatable.

"Wo...wow…" Diana mutters, still suffering from shock as she gently rubs her injured back.

I lower my wand, knowing now that this brief skirmish has come to an end.

The whole is still engulfed in silence, every student, and even Ms. Faralda, waiting with bated breath, just not knowing how to respond to this unexpected turn of events.

"I-I'm impressed, Theodore." Diana stutters, still a bit shook from my assault. "Never have I ever expected a fellow student to achieve the upperhand in the case of combat, especially one that is new to magic."

"I warned you." I remind her.

"Yes, you were right." Diana nods at this, a little saddened by her questioning. "You were always right. I was a fool to question someone as sexy, smart, and sexy as you."

I blush when faced with her compliments.

However I do not falter, I'm used to being called all those things.

"Don't worry about it, Diana." I inform her, waving away her worries with a hand gesture. "At least now you know my power."

Diana smiles at this, dropping her wand to the floor, saying

"I feel the need to reward you for your….understanding."

As if stuck in some kind of trance, Diana begins to calmly walk over to me, her gaze focused solely on me.

"We might need Ms. Faralda to intervene...because it's about to get hot in here!" She shouts, her pace towards me beginning to quicken.

"I get it!" The teacher sounds off from the background.

This sick play on words leaves me shocked.

"I...um...excuse me?"

Without warning, Diana increases her speed to great feats, and with the elegance of a cat, strides behind me.

She slings an arm around my muscular, six pack bearing chest, another one grabbing hold of my giant, hugh mungus, fezzik sized ween.

She blows a warm stream of air in my ear, setting me in a shutter, before whispering seductively.

"I'll show you why my family's motto is 'Affection'."

* * *

Ch. 5

I hold my prize firmly in my hand, the other clenched around my wand, waiting for any further monsters.

I nearly died for this pestle, so I'm not so quick to let it go.

I continue to move towards the entrance, my body's still bearing a faint soreness inflicted onto me by the Cyclops.

Sucy's potion sure did wonders to my injuries.

I wonder why she left her satchel behind. It must've been an accident, I couldn't imagine Sucy even going to the free clinic without her potion pouch.

As I exit the labyrinth, I note that a great deal of students have already gathered, showing off their items to their friends.

Noticing my recent return, one of them approaches me.

"So, what did you find?" She asks.

"The Pestle of Jennifer the Witch." I respond, placing the item in my satchel for safekeeping. "What about you?"

She lifts up her find, a thin silver sword engraved with many carvings.

"I found a Vorpal Bla-"

She is cut off, as a loud roar erupts from the labyrinth, in the same tone I heard before.

Some students begin to cower, while others ask questions to their peers.

"What was that?" and "What's happening?" were the most common ones.

Another growl, and suddenly the thing slams through the door, its huge body stuck in the tiny corridor.

"What is that thing?!" Someone cries out.

It's a giant, lizard like creature with huge wings, a black body, and a red underbelly.

"A dragon!" I yell.

In quick response, Ursula slams her fist on a button next to the entrance.

Huge metal rods slide horizontally, pinning the huge dragon in place.

A nearby witch declares,

"Now's our chance! Blast him!"

With the speed of a piston, in one fluid motion, I flash my wand out, a single lightning bolt exploding out, accompanied by the sound of thunder.

Upon impact, the black dragon is turned blue as it becomes completely engulfed in the light.

It lets out a screech of terror and pain before exploding into an array of fireworks, an ode to my victory.

I lower my wand, and with a confident chuckle, I mutter

"Heh, too easy."

* * *

Ch. 10

"I'll collect the reward, now." I say firmly, holding out my hand.

I don't want to stay here any longer than I have too.

"Of course, of course." Mendacooper responds, nodding his head at my wish. "The Mortar of Jennifer the Witch, was it? Or much more, if you stay here, to be trained."

"You want to train me, Menandicckus?" I ask in disbelief.

"Four of my loyal followers were imprisoned in that statue with me. Vrykolake, Asanbosam, Jikininki, and Jiang Shi can teach you true magic, not those petty party tricks you learn at Luna Nova. I'm talking about black magic, voodoo, and everything in between. After that, no one can stop us as we carve out our new world order. There will be many wars, revolutions, and great purges. Many millions will die worldwide, but out of the ashes will come peace and order. We shall live like kings, or should I say, gods, in Rome. Your family will finally sit at the throne, as they used to."

I was taken aback by this accurate description of my ancestry.

"How did you know about my alignment with Rome?...How did you know about my family?"

He scoffs at my question, and with a smile says

"Oh please, you think that I wouldn't recognize the Sempronia gens? Plus, that pugio hanging from your hip leaves little questioning to who you align yourself with." He states, pointing at my side.

I eye my dagger, forgetting that it was even there in the first place. But still, all this talk of purges and death is disturbing.

"Aren't you a god? Can't you just snap your fingers, and make the world yours? No blood or violence?" I try to reason

He drops his smile.

"Pop quiz. How does a god obtain their power?" He asks.

How am I supposed to know?

"They…um-"

"You don't know?" He cuts me off, regaining his smile. "And you're supposed to be all that? A deity gets their power based on how many disciples they have. Hence why the Pagan gods ruled the ancient world, and why Christianity rules the modern day. Only two people that are alive believe in me. You and Bruno. You believe in me, don't you?"

"How could I not?"

"So, join me, and together we can rule the galaxy as father and son." He says, making a fist for emphasis.

Of course, who wouldn't want to rule the world? But of course, I am the main character, not to mention a soul only containing pure thoughts.

"Just think of what I'm offering you." He says, cutting off my train of thought. "A chance at immortality. To restore your family honor, to carve your name in the history books, a great deal of money. How can a person such as you not be interested?"

I am interested, i'm interested very much so.

However, I know what has created such negative emotions inside of me.

When I was little, back when I was still in Celestia's School For Gifted Unicorns, I happened to become interested heavily in Equestrian dark magic. This would eventually lead to an obsession, an obsession that would dominate my mind and body. Dark magic was all that was on my mind, and I eventually gave into my urges.

After that, the darkness had corrupted me, and clung to my very essence.

A demon had taken control of a part of my personality, and this monster would eventually rear his ugly head in my thoughts every now and again.

When the notion for greed strikes me, like now, the demon tries to persuade me into taking the dark deal.

However, since I strive and am so cool and pure and awesome, I can resist its temptations.

Only a kiss from my one true love could break this evil bond.

Anyway, after I became infected by the dark magic, I was ashamed of myself.

Alone, mocked, and distrusted by many, I fled into The Crystal Mirror, coming into the human world to pursue a better life.

That's right, I'm a pony. An alicorn to be exact.

"No!" I say with assertiveness, "No, no, no!... _ **NO!**_ "

He drops his smile for a second time, and replaces it with a scowl.

"What? You're family, immortality, wealth, fame! Don't you see what I'm offering you?!" He demands.

I can see that demonic corruption has also taken full effect within this old god.

However, due to my studies on the most powerful magic of all, friendship, and my expertise from Celestia's School, I believe that I may convert him to good.

"Meningitis…" I begin, my hands outstretched at my sides. "Don't do this. You'll regret it."

The god snorts at this, asking

"Oh, and you're going to stop me? How can you?! I am the one, don't weigh a ton, don't need a gun to get respect up on the street!"

Even under this verbal assault, I still keep my calm, because I'm such a calm and collected and cool and stoic and mysterious person and all.

"No." I respond to him. "If you do this, take over the world, you may have all the power and wealth you can imagine, but you'll still be alone."

Mendacius lets out a few confused blinks at this, prompting me to continue.

"To get this power, you would've killed people, and then people wouldn't want to be your friend because you killed people because you wanted power because your evil, and I can help you before you kill people because you want power, which will make you friendless and alone because you killed people for power that you wanted because you're evil, which isn't good. Killing people isn't good."

The old god stops upon hearing this. The confident smile that was once plastered on his stolen face has vanished, as did his threats and bold words.

He falters, reeling back as if unable to process with what I have just said.

He grabs at his hair, running a hand through it as he thinks hard, beads of sweat beginning to drip down his exhausted face.

He looks back up at me, mouth agape in sheer and utter submission.

"Wow, I guess I never really thought about it that way before."

* * *

Ch. 20

Without answering, I look at Akko. Amanda's mood drops as she too sees Akko in her current state.

"What's wrong Akko? Did something happen?"

Not getting a reply, Amanda looks around, asking

"Where are Lotto and Sushi?"

Amandaa glances at me.

"I have no idea." I respond.

Seeing as she won't get answers, Amanda sighs to herself, taking a sip from her soda.

Suddenly, a tomato flies out of nowhere, smacking against her drink, knocking it out of her hand, as it spills out on the ground.

"Hey!" Amanda angrily protests, glaring at where the tomato came from.

Five boys now stand in front of us. One of them looks like Bonz from Yugioh. Another two look British Rajian, both twins with their hair done up. One is wearing a white shirt and blue pants, while the other has a blue shirt and white pants. That appears to be the only physical difference. Then we have a big guy who looks like he could be Chris Christie's son, his massive fucking belly distended. Finally we have the short, cisgendered, misogynistic, white scum, male standing in the middle of the ground. He wears a pink shirt that says ' _ **Juicy**_ ' on the back.

All five of them bare smirks, none of them look like they want to make friends. That's sad _**:'(**_

"You're witches, right?" The pink shirt kid asks, pointing at us.

"Yeah, and what exactly is your point?" Amandaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa annoyingly asks.

"You've been casting weird spells all day in that old moldy building, right? Boiling worms, and lizards, and having anal sex, and stuff?" He asks.

These kids have some nerve. My family fell because of these uneducated, uninformed, filthy, barbaric, intolerant bigots. The Sopranos didn't fight back, and now we're a shadow of what we once were. I'd be living like a king, no a Ceasar, performing every spell known to man. First it was the barbarians, then the inquisitors, and now these kids. There's no difference, they hate us and want us gone. These kids are just as responsible.

I grit my teeth together as I try to maintain my composure.

"That's so creepy!" The Indian kids both exclaim.

"So lame!" Chris Christie's son adds, shoving a pocket full of twinkies into his fat fucking face.

Anger getting the better of me, I slowly move my hand into my satchel, gripping the hilt of my wand.

"Witchcraft is for old folks, right?" The creepy one asks.

"Did you know they don't even have cell phones?" Pink Guy asks.

"Do they even know what a phone really is?" Chris Christie's son jokes, developing Type 2 Diabetes.

"Alright, that's enough." I notify everypony, taking a step towards the group of kids.

I turn back to my group, exchanging a nod with Constanze, that Eva Braun like bitch.

Understanding my silent gesture, the silly little short fellow pulls a microphone from her badonkadonk, before speaking into it with her normal Louisianian accent.

"Epic rap battles of fanfiction!"

She points at me, yelling

"Edgelord McBitchface!"

She retreats from her pointing

"Versus!"

The same hand that once was on me now goes to the kid in the pink shirt.

"Thom _ **ass!"**_

She throws the mic to the ground, it shattering into pieces, as she screams

"Begin!"

Since I'm the baddest broad in the fucking town with the biggest tittties, I'll go first.

"My name is Theodore, but it can be shortened to Teddy.

Funny, cause I like to get heady

All night in your mom's beddy.

Slinging spells by day and poppin pills by night

My pleasure's got no end in sight.

If you come by my dorm

Expect there to be no porn.

Because I've got an entire school to pick

Which girl can suck my dick.

My weenie is as long as my nose

With these girls, anything goes.

Even if the school isn't co-ed

I can still get them spread.

In the main story I beat your cronies harder than I beat my meat

In fact, that's how your mom and I did meet."

With my sick session done, I step down, allowing the kid in the pink shirt to begin.

"My name is Thomas

And I can promise

That the witch Diana

Will feel my banana.

You may think she's your's

But to her, you're just chores.

You're a sad man

It's won't be long until you're in the trash can.

Your whole family is screwed up

They've got more blackness in them than a coffee cup.

Your grandpa's so stingy, are you sure he isn't a jew?

On the topic, your nose is the only thing big about you.

You're a discount Andrew Hanbridge

Your face looks like his, but slammed in a fridge."

My turn.

"I'll admit, you may be top on the rhyme game

But at least I have a last name.

Andrew Hanbridge?

Please, for all I care he can jump off a bridge.

I've been running the show long before he was around

So why don't you pipe down, before I throw you to the ground.

Diana? At least I've kissed her

The only thing you're getting is a beat off blister.

All you can do is dream

But when we're in bed together, I make her scream.

You were only in one of two movies

As for me, I got a whole army of groupies.

People drawing me fanart

Got more admirers than Bonaparte.

You may think I'm crude, but still

I beat up that pussy like Emmett Till.

So why don't you take a page from Mendacius, that old god

Right now, the rats have his body gnawed."

His turn.

"You may think you're strong, with all your pride

But we all know that underneath you cried.

You can't step up to me...and my gang!

Mess with us, and you'll go bang!

All I need is one movie

To get my handful of boobie.

If you were to die

No one would say goodbye.

I mean look at you, you're not even canon!

Now why don't you lick these wounds, and run back to your author, Roman?"

With both of our sicknesses done and cleared, Constanze steps back up, yelling

"Who won?! Who's next?! You decide?! Epic Rap Battle of Fanfictiooooooooooooooooon…!"

* * *

Ch. 26

"Greetings, you must be Theodore's friend from school! My name is Anchovy, his lifelong friend! Pleased to meet you." She greets Diana, her hand outstretched in a handshake.

The blonde accepts her handshake, saying

"Hello Anchovy, my name is Diana. It's nice to meet you."

After their exchange, my friend points behind her with a thumb, saying

"I took the liberty of saving us seats. Follow me."

Now it is both Diana and I that follow, as Anchovy takes us to the booth she was previously sitting at.

I am the first to slide in, taking the fogged up window seat.

As Diana's about to join me, Anchovy slides in, taking the only spot next to me.

I don't mind, as Anchovy playfully slings an arm around me, laughing.

"Just like old times when you ate my ass, huh?"

I join in with a smile.

However, as I glance towards Diana, I can't help but let my smile slip away.

There Diana stands, facing Anchovy, her jaws grinding together in rage.

"What's Deeeeana, wrong?" I ask her, being the kind and caring man that I am.

The blonde shoots daggers at my childhood friend, as she mutters

"I wanted that seat…"

A bit angered after being challenged for the custody of the space next to mine, Anchovy stands up, her face meer inches away from Diana's as she yells

"Respect my space, get out of my face!"

With this, Diana takes a swing at Anchovy, her fist making contact with her jaw.

"You son of a bitch!" Anchovy screams, as she grabs Diana by the throat, body slamming her onto the table, drinks and broken plates littering the pizzeria's ground.

I note that the spillage from the drinks have wetted both of their shirts, exposing what lies underneath.

Anchovy continues to choke out Diana, as she angrily declares

"You whore! Theodore's mine!"

With a burst of newfound energy, Diana shouts

"No, he's mine!"

And with that, Diana shoves Anchovy off of her, the two engaging in a tight hold on each other.

A few punches later, and Diana and Anchovy smack against the window, breaking the glass, as the two of them fly out, hurling punches and insults all the while.

I run out the front door, concerned for the well being of the both of them.

"Ladies, please-"

I stop, however, as I see the sight before me.

Diana and Anchovy have somehow been reduced to nothing more than undergarments, their clothes being somewhere out there.

Additionally, due to the wetness of the winter, a sizable Puddle Of Mudd has accumulated, this being where the chick fight is located.

Diana throws herself on top of Anchovy, picking up a handful of mud, violently smashing it into the Italian girl's face, rubbing it in.

"You spaghetti bending guido!" The blonde angrily screams.

"You already took our mare nostrum! I'm not going to let you take Theodore!" Anchovy shouts, throwing Diana off of her, a flurry of punches being brought upon the blonde, rage fueling her attacks.

"Is your nickname Anchovy because you have a smelly cunt?!" Diana grunts out, blood flowing out of her nose and mouth.

"No! My nickname is Anchovy because I'm always wet from the Italian Stallion!" My childhood friend retorts, referring to me.

As the two continue to wrestle around in the mud, I hear a familiar voice shouting from my side.

"Yeah! Take her top off!"

Turning towards it, I see Beef Mc Whatnow, chicken leg in one hand, penis in the other, I'm the last of the dragonborn, there's no other my brother, so run for cover, as he watches on, clearly satisfied.

Even under a thick layer of three day old mayonnaise, I can still see the cheeky smile on his face, as he eagerly watches on.

I look back at the fight, the two muddy girls still fighting for my hand in dating.

I note that a few teeth are missing from Diana. Likewise, Diana is currently beating Anchovy with one of her own ponytails, ripped off in the heat of the fight.

I think I'll just stick with Lotte.

* * *

Ch. 30

"Are any of you familiar with The Fluttershy Incident?" Holbrooke asks us all.

Almost everyone gives a collective mutter of 'no', and some shake their hand in a similar answers.

"I heard about it in a newspaper years ago." I inform them. "But I'm not knowledgeable on the details."

Principal Holbrooke nods at this, before continuing on with her explanation.

"Filipino is a small island in the Mediterranean sea, apart of the Aeolian Archipelago. It was once a quiet little community, housing no more than a few seaside towns and a brothel, a small little tourist center it was. But about three thousand years ago, without any warning, swarms of Munsters began to appear on the island, killing and harassing the local inhabitants. A mass evacuation took place, leaving the island desolite of human life. But to this day, the monsters still remain. From then on, they used the island as a sort of command center, raiding nearby coasts for their thicc Mediterranean booties, and then taking it back to Fettucini for safe keeping."

Ah yes, that's right.

I do remember reading something like that on InfoWars dot Com years ago, but just dismissed it as tabloids, and perhaps a coverup to another reason of the island's evacuation.

"What treasures have the creatures taken?" I hear Diana ask.

"Current Money, ancient relics, old paintings, Greek culture, used condoms, anything worth any value."

"It's just a treasure trove ready for plundering." Ms. Finnalin adds. "It's been sanctioned off by the Euro Zone, cuz Greece refuses to pay and debts."

It sounds simple enough, if a bit dangerous.

But still, I believe I have a simple solution to this serious problem.

I walk up to the principal's desk, pulling out a checkbook that I conveniently keep in my satchel, in case of a financial emergency like now.

Ms. Holbrooke raises an eyebrow, a bit confused by my actions.

"And just what are you doing?"

I take out a pen, while informing her

"My family is very rich, I'm sure that I could pay off Akko's expenditures."

The principal raises both eyebrows in astonishment, while Ms. Finnalin analyzes me in disbelievement.

To wash away their doubts, I remove a check from the book, writing down one hundred and twenty-five gazillion Soviet Rubles, because I'm such a nice guy and all.

I slide the mondo check across the table, pushing it towards the principal.

As she reads the numbers, her eyes explode into Hiroshima and Nagasaki, herself flying out of her chair and through the window in the process.

Seeing what just transpired, Ms. Finnalin cautiously takes the check, silently reading it to herself.

"Oh yeah, that'll be enough." She proclaims, going lewd.

With this, Diana turns to face me, wrapping her soft hands around mine.

I hear Akko gasp in startlement.

Ignoring her, and undoubtedly the hushed whispers of the others, Diana looks at me, a wide grin on her face.

"My hero!" She cries out.

And with that, she shoves her tongue down my throat, almost making me gag on foreign saliva.

After a brief, but pleasurable, moment of sex, Diana puts her clothes back on, and walks out the door, probably seeking a morning after pill.

"Wha-" Akko begins to scream again in response, only to have an annoyed Sucy silence her with a sliced throat.

"Don't question it." Sucy mutters. "It's The Anniversary Special, anything can happen."

As if to prove this point, Sucy pulls out a gun from her satchel, and shoots herself in the head, her brains splattering all over the wall just like bonehead, white trash, fucking, donkey dick Marty's dad.

Even in the face of these new causalities, the other girls are focused squarely on Diana and I's recent copulation.

"Whoa-ho-ho!" Amanda sounds off.

As if in pain by this, I grab my suitcase, leaving the room, as the others follow in pursuit.

As I'm about to speed off into the hallway, I feel Jasminka grab my shoulder, and turn me around with her "massive, SJW, woman of color, hands up don't shoot, antifa, hashtag me too, black lives matter, he will not divide us, kill all men, not my president, more than infinite genders, I'm oppressed" strength.

I'm facing a crowd of slightly angered, but expecting, women.

Amanda is the first to explain Jasminka's blocking of my freedom of movement.

"Look Ted, we saw what just happened with you and Diana."

I sigh to myself as I think about her recent actions against me.

It might've been rape, but as a white European male, I can't be raped, especially not by a woman.

"Yeah, I don't know what's up with her-"

"And we want some of that action." Amanda interrupts.

My mouth is hung low, lower than my massive Gary Sue sized ween.

Sometimes I just get sick and tired of women always fantasizing and molesting me.

If I could give a quarter of all the women that lust over me to Elliot Rodger, then I think he wouldn't of done the deeds.

Having enough sexual encounters for one day, I turn my back to them, wishing to go into my room and wash the Diana fluids from me.

"Enough of this!" Amanda cries out, forcing me to stop in my tracks and face them. "The whole lot of us have been lusting over you since we first laid eyes on you."

Lotte nods to confirm this, saying "Dildos and dreams can only get us so far."

"We're starving for some of that good old Sempronia nose." Sucy adds.

"My hunger can only be quenched by your ooey-gooey." Jasminka claims.

"I want to play The Taharrush Gamea with you!" Constanze shouts out.

"So, which one of us do you want to date? We don't care, just tell us. The anticipation is killing us." Amanda says.

All this news is far more than a pure and holy mind like myself can bear.

My eyes slide to the floor, myself a bit embarrassed by being put on the spot by such a question.

"Look…"

My gaze flutters back to them, myself sighing out

"I don't want to hurt any of your feelings…"

But then, an idea comes to mind, one that would answer Amanda's question, and keep everyone happy.

I smile at my amazing idea.

"So...I'll date all of you."

Hearing this Amanda cries out

"So selfless!"

Jasminka follows up with

"So kind!"

"Lick me out!" Sucy commands

"So fucking sexy!" Lotte cries out.

"Destroy me!" Constanze sounds off.

And with that, all five of the girls dogpile me, crushing me underneath their sheer weight.

Jasminka herself, underneath her Trigglypuff body, smashes all of us into a whole new world, causing the school to collapse in on itself, the whole world becoming a black hole, engulfing everyone, but the dirty non believers.

It's all ogre now...

* * *

 **Author's Note: Well boys, here it is, two years of hard, hard work. When I first starting writing this thing, there were only like four or five fanfics available at the time. I never expected that the community, as well as my own fanfiction, would grow so much in such little time. And I never expected myself to be writing a one year anniversary special, let alone a two year special! This whole fanfic experience has been amazing! I've met so many new people, some of them being good friends now, and I get my daily dosage of my notorious grandiose narcissism! It's been a good rune here, but I don't think we're going to see a third anniversary special. Don't get me wrong, this story still has a good while left, but I don't think that much of a good while.**

 **Onto other news, the game, "Little Witch Academia: Chamber of Time", is set to come to the West on May 15th. What a wonder! I ask for it for Christmas, and it's coming about a month before my birthday!**

 **Also, Wayward Bot, the author of Little Witch Academia: The Wizard of Time, wanted me to tell you that his lack of updates have been do to him updating his earlier chapters.**

 **Also, we've done it boys and girls. I've managed to ascend to 70 followers, and am actually close to achieving 80. I've been getting followers up the wazoo, almost one follower every day! So you know that that means! I get to create another one of my world famous Diakkos! I'll create and upload it after this current arc with the island and all, but just to give you a little taste of it, it'll be called "Hitler!Diana X Jewish!Akko: A Burning Love".**

 **And don't forget, if you want anymore of my promised Diakkos, make sure to follow and fav! 80 is now the goal for another Diakko! This one maybe written by the one, the only, Nightcore Miku.**

 **And for the final update, I've been thinking about creating a project. All the cool fanfic writers have some kind of video or comic to go along with their story. I was thinking about creating a post on the website Casting Call Club for a narration of The Mendacius Arc. It'll go like this: I'll post the casting call, you guys audition for voice acting roles, aka for Theodore, the narrator, Mendacius, and I'll choose the best. Afterwards, a nice video will be placed on Youtube, and we'll all exchange high fives afterwards. This is just an idea, and am wondering what you guys think.**

 **I hope you beasts in human form have yourselves a great day.**

 **Like and favorite this shit. Become a viking today!**


	32. Trials and Training

**Author's Note: How's it going bros? My name is Pewdiepie, coming at you with another sick chapter of my sick story. But before we get into all the new news I've got, let's respond to a few comments:**

 **"** **This chapter just made me laugh**

 **Also no there has to be a 3rd special,atleast end it all seriousness ill miss this story when its gone and ill just be stuck with diakkos great work as always."**

 **That's an injustice that we'll just have to deal with. But don't worry, this story isn't going anywhere for awhile, I just don't see another anniversary special coming. Glad you enjoyed the special, by the way!**

 **"** **Is it about Treasure Island? I never watched so idk"**

 **I haven't seen it either man, so don't worry man.**

 **"** **lo siento por no poder explicarme bien , lo que queria decir con "Reading version " es Algo como :**

 **el grupo de la serie original de little witch Academia, encuentran un libro (ya sea por casualidad o por que alguien les entregue el libro) que contenga tu historia "little wizard Academia" y lo lean, y reaccionen a esta excelente historia ,(me encantaria ver a Diana , Akko y el resto de los personajes de la serie original reaccionar al enterarse de como la llegada de theodore sempronia, afecta sus vidas en el universo alternativo en el que se desarrolla tu historia) por favor. :) :v escribelo, creo que seria muy interesante.**

 **P. D. mi nombre es Alejandro, de el estado de Veracruz (México)"**

 **Well, Alejandro from the state of Veracruz, a little entry into Google Translate, and it says that you want me to write about the main cast finding my story, reading it, and reacting to it. That sound about right? While that is an interesting request, I'm sad to say that I don't think I can do that one. I'm already pressed for writing these new chapters, and wanting to move onto my next fanfiction in the future, that I don't think I want to add another one to the pile. But thanks for throwing me kind words, saying that my story is excellent and all. But hey, I won't stop you from writing it if you so desire!**

 **Speaking of people creating fictional stories and characters based off of my fanfiction, I'd like to give recognition to JacksonDragneel16 for doing just this! Apparently, he created his own little fanfic to this fanfic, where Theodore and Diana were married, and had kids! I know, right?! While I don't think he was breaking his Argentine fingers typing up a story, he did make two original characters, the children of Theodore and Diana!**

 **Dalia** **: She keeps her hair held back, loves blue, her personality is like Diana's in adolescence being quite cold and intelligent, she likes graphic novels, comics and video games. She is an expert in ice magic and healing. Her dream is to become a healer using magic medicine.**

 **Daphne** **: She has loose and messy hair, she loves the color red. Her personality is described as intelligent, joker, secretly a pervert, fan of anime and manga. I'm guessing she's more like Theodore, but I don't know for sure. She is an expert in fire magic and electricity. Her dream is to be a comic and manga artist and a writer, her main goal being to create a film.**

 **They both have the same eye color as Ted, but more physical features akine to Diana. They are also both twins!**

 **While I can say that I'm never going to add these two in the story, as it ends way before this could ever happen, I'm so glad to say that someone took time to create these two. It really makes me happy!**

 **Now, let's get on with this filth!**

* * *

Days of training and studying have come and gone as smoothly and as uneventful as they can.

Endless hours of studying the history of Filicudi, test taking on identifying the many monster types of the island, learning which native plant lifes are safe to eat, how to establish a shelter, and all that. All of this, I'm sure, bored Akko to death.

There are only a few more days until Diana, Akko, and I depart for Filicudi, in search of enough valuable items to save the school from financial foreclosure.

However, today is something rather different.

I heard that Ms. Faralda flew in today from her Christmas Vacation to train us adequately in self defense destruction magic and the like. Maybe we'll see those Burn Temperature devices again.

But at the moment, rather than being cooped up in a classroom, studying the geography of the island and other hours of paperwork, I am joined with Sucy in a small clearing of the forest that surrounds the school.

Kneeling on the grass ground, the two of us we face a collection of massive trees, standing proud, tall, and healthy.

A few items are laid out in front of us, one catching my curiosity in particular.

The item in question appears to be a miniature crossbow, made of metal, with some kind of strap on the underside.

However, the string has been modified to launch hollow glass balls full of a green liquid, one of Sucy's brewing, rather than the normal bolts.

This was her and Constanze's contribution to the expedition.

"So, what have we got here, Sucy?" I ask, a smile on my face as I analyze the glass ammunition in my hand, a bit of excitement growing.

Whatever creation the mad robotics woman and sadistic alchemist made, it must be something grand.

Even though I consider myself a rather calm guy, not easily fluctuating between emotions, I still occasionally find myself subjected to the 'Boys and their Toys' rule.

She flashes a smile similar to mine, also excited by her new invention.

She grabs hold of the miniature crossbow with one pale hand, her other grabbing my arm, as she begins to strap the contraption to my right arm.

"In Ballistae de Kulog Drachen." She states the name of the invention that Constanze and her agreed upon. "The lathe is made out of Graphene, stock out of Microlattice, an Excalibur Matrix string. It fires a glass ball of highly explosive poison at three hundred feet per sec-"  
Her voice is cut off as a tune rings from the ground.

It's a satellite phone, one that Diana loaned me so that the three of us could stay in touch with Luna Nova during our quest of fortune.

A daily update we're supposed to give.

Although, the song 'Life Is Good', by the 'Vienna Boys Choir', is an interesting choice for a ringtone.

Sucy flashes me one of her sadistic smiles, as if putting my masculinity in doubt.

"I didn't choose the song." I mutter defensively to her, putting the phone to my ear.

Clicking the answer button, I say clearly  
"Hey, this is Theodore."

On the other end, I hear the caller, subjected to faint static from the old but reliable phone.  
"It's Ms. Holbrooke. I'm just checking in on your progress."  
"Ah, yes. We're good to go here." I answer, nodding as I do. "As a matter of fact, Sucy and I were just about to test out their new weapon."

"That's good." Ms. Holbrooke replies. "But my main purpose of this call is to discuss your suggestion of the two pilots for this expedition. Brad Smith and Tom Cooper were they?"

Earlier on in the training session, a few days ago I believe, the subject of who should give us the airlift came into question. A few of the staff thought that it shouldn't matter, and that any competent flier would do. But I myself and a few others did a bit of research of pilots specifically trained in survival situations should anything go sour.

"Yes, that's right two of the very best men I could possibly find." I inform her.

However, by the look of their profiles, it is Tom Cooper that has all the experience and Brad Smith is just an apprentice. Even still, the two of them are both acclimatized to handle an emergency situation, Tom just has more.

"And have you spoken with these men? You should at least get to know them before suggesting them to us."

A fair point, for I've only read their profile and a few reviews of their work.  
"No, I haven't spoken with them personally, but believe me, both of these men come very highly recommended."

I feel Sucy pat me on the back, silently signaling to me that she has gotten the equipment set up.

I look down at my right arm, seeing now that the crossbow is now firmly and securely strapped down, string cocked back, and a glass ball full of the green poison sits ready and waiting.

Unable to bear the anticipation any longer, I ignore any further sounds from the phone, raising my arm up, pointing it at the sea of trees in front of us.

Squeezing a small lever on its underside, the crossbow launches the ball at high speeds, itself making a slight whistles as it travels through the air.

Upon contact with a tree trunk, the glass ball shatters, erupting into a thick green flurry of toxins, causing the organic trees to explode like dynamite, bark and leaves flying in all directions, a more or less sickly green mushroom cloud forming.

I think that would be enough to take out any monster we may encounter.  
"Are you alright?!" I hear Ms. Holbrooke cry on the other end, unaware as to the cause of this unexpected explosion.

Sucy and I exchange smiles and grins at each other, the both of us greatly satisfied by this field test.

Still smiling, I move the satellite phone close to my mouth, and say confidently

"Nothing to worry about, Ms. Holbrooke. It's going to be a walk in the park."

* * *

"And that's why we can't use flame magic in an open forest." Ms. Faralda says, putting an end to her extended lecture.

I can't help but suppress a yawn at this rather boring some lecture.

When Diana, Akko, and I entered her classroom, I admit, I expected to be dueling, dodging hostile magic and returning it in kind, not listening to the teacher about why fire and wood aren't the best combination.

I take a glance at Akko who is, unsurprisingly, fast asleep, a small pool of drool forming on her desk.

Although I hate to put the blame onto her, it was her misuse of the school's funds that led to this disaster in the first place, even if her own team left her alone in the matter.

If I was her, I'd try to right my wrongs anyway possible, and to just fall asleep when someone is giving you the tools to do so is outright foolish.

I also glance at Diana, herself paying full attention to the teacher's lecture.

Oh Diana, even if a self evident speech is being thrown her way, she treats it as if someone is translating The Dead Sea Scrolls right in front of her.

I'm surprised she isn't taking notes.

"I was required by the school board to tell you that." Ms. Faralda sighs out. "But if you don't already know that throwing around fire in a wooded area is a bad idea already, then you're basically retarded."

That's an accurate, if rather crude, way of putting it.

She spots Akko asleep on the desk.

"Alright, fine." Ms. Faralda sighs, knowing that her forced speech was all for not. "If you're all ready to die of boredom, let's have a little duel to get the blood pumping."

The teacher pulls out her wand, shooting a small voltage of lightning at the sleeping Akko.

It hits her dead on, the girl now wretched awake by the pain.

"Huh? I, what?!" Akko confusingly cries, not knowing the cause of her sleep disturbance.

Ignoring the confusion of Akko, Ms. Faralda looks at myself and Diana.

"You two, Diana Banana and Teddy Ruxpin." She calls on us. "Remember when you two applied to take my AP Destruction Magic class for next year, and the entrance test you had to take?"

The two of us nod.

"I introduced you two to a new concept, that of burn temperatures." She reminds us.

"Oooh, what's that?" Akko curiously asks, forgetting about her abrupt awakening.

"It's a reading of the temperature of a destruction spell, mostly it's done with flame magic, but any will do. It's done with a machine specifically designed to read them." Ms. Faralda answers Akko's question. "However, your's truly was able to modify the machines a bit, making them a bit more fun in a magic duel."

"What do you mean?" I hear Diana ask.

"Rather than you having to shoot at a target to get a reading, the machine now searches for any major spike in the room's temperature. Its sensors will latch onto the source of whatever caused the shift, and follow it, enabling you to get an accurate reading of an opponent during the _heat_ of battle." She emphasizes the word 'heat', trying to invoke a laughing fit from us.

An awkward moment of silence passes over us.

"Oh! Now I get it!" Akko cries out, reaching the epiphany of the joke.

"Shut up, Akko…" Ms. Faralda mutters, disappointed by the effectiveness of her joke.

"Anyways…" The teacher continues. "I'm thinking that since Diana is the top dog here, we do Ted and Akko versus Diana. How's that sound?"

I can see Akko flash a deadly smirk at Diana, clearly happy that she has the chance to relief some of her contempt for the blonde.

Diana and Akko both verbally agree with the teams.

As for myself, I'm a little hesitant about letting Diana duel with someone who has does not have her best intentions at heart. Maybe it's the whole boyfriend protection complex that's making me feel these emotions. After all, if I'm stronger than Akko, and Diana's stronger than me, than she can definitely handle Akko

I'm well aware that Akko cannot even hope to take on Diana in a magical fight.

I'm far more afraid of Akko getting hurt than I am for Diana.

I shouldn't worry about it, though.

Diana would take all the precautions necessary to ensure that Akko goes unscathed, even if Akko would happily throw herself at one of Diana's spells if it means coming closer to the revenge that I still don't understand.

Besides, with all this safety equipment, the room for error is little.

With all this in mind, I say.

"Sounds fine with me."

With all of our approvals, the teacher instructs us to put on the same magic resistant suits that Diana and I wore during our entrance exam, as well as us handing over our wands, and replacing them with the battle safe ones.

Once the suits are on, and we have the right wands, the teacher directs us to the field for our duel.

At her desk, she clicks a button, and all the machines light up, ready for the near future fight.

"I'm going to grab a bite to eat. I haven't eaten since I came back." The teacher informs us, leaving her desk and heading towards the door.

This sudden revelation of plans hits the three of us.

"Are you sure about leaving us all alone?" Diana asks her, as equally confused as I.

"I trust you. I'll be back in a bit, just practice while I'm gone." Ms. Faralda says, not bothering to look back as she leaves the room.

Once out of the classroom, the door closes, leaving us three alone.

Diana wastes no time in making sure that every second here is filled with practice and training.

"Let's make sure these machines are in proper function." She suggests to me.

"Good idea." I inform her, walking up to one of the machines on the far end of the wall.

Ever since I read the reading of Diana's burn temperature, a staggering 1500, I still can't help but feel a slight doubt in the number. During the test, I was struggling with all my power, being able to generate a healthy number of 950, well above the teenage average of 500.

However, I noticed that when it was time for Diana to show the device her skills, she expressed no physical exertion, nothing to show that she was in any way struggling.

This duel might be my chance to get a better reading, maybe even learning her true power.

For a more accurate reading, I begin to move the machine so that it faces Diana.

"Do me! Do me!" Akko cries out like a child, excited to try out this new device. "I want to know my burn temperature!"

I'll admit, an excited and cheery Akko is more than enough to put a smile on anyone's face, even when that someone had to miss a potentially romantic Christmas Vacation with his family, the family not receiving the romance part of course.

Following her will, I push the button on the side.

The machine lets out the same little jingle from the entrance duel as the numbers on the screen continue to spin, and eventually coming to a stop.

"What is it?! What is it?!" Akko excitedly demands.

Reading the number to myself, I get an idea, a small little prank for Akko.

I let out a cheeky grin, saying

"Burn temperature: one digit."

"What?!" Akko stomps in rage.

I hear Diana chuckle a bit into her hand.

That alone makes the joke worth it.

Letting out a few chuckles myself, I say

"I'm just kidding, Akko. Your burn temperature is really 432. Less than average, but not that less."

And this is Akko in a resting state. Although I don't believe that she could come close to me, and especially Diana, her maximum power must be greater than what this device picked up.

"Yeah, whatever." Akko brushes my joke to the side, and impatiently says. "Let's just get to this duel already."

As Akko and I begin to walk to one side of the indoor field, Diana grabs my hand, forcing me to stop.

Her blue eyes meet with my green.

"Theodore." She whispers, still clinging onto me. "Before we leave for Filicudi, I would really enjoy it if the two of us could go out and spend some time together."

I feel that characteristic blush began to creep up once again, even greater due to the presence of an outsider, that being Akko.

Is she talking about a date?

I hear Akko gag at this, herself wondering the same thing.

It's only been about a week since we both confessed back in Rome.

Even before that time, I still had great feelings for her, ones that go far beyond the idea of friendship.

And now the two of us are together, and I can never be happier.

Due to our recent confessions and our rather busy schedule nowadays, his would be our first date yet.

"That sounds lovely, I definitely want to do that." I say smiling at her, before I notice Akko's impatient face. "But, let's work out the details after practice is over."

"Promise?" Diana asks me in a sort of seductive way way that I've never heard her talk before.

God, I love this whole relationship thing.

"Promise."

As if by some link between our two minds, the both of us lean into a kiss.

Like it always is, her lips are smooth and soft, a bit warm with a faint taste of lipgloss.

I use this opportunity of intimacy to move a hand onto her head, feeling her silky blonde hair.

I wonder if very part of her body is soft.

"Stop it, you two! Stop it!" I hear Akko cry out in disgust.

The two of us retract from the kiss, even if both of us would chose not too.

Diana smiles at me, a faint trace of a blush against her otherwise flawless white skin.

"I suppose we should begin, or else Akko may just lose what few nerves she has."

"I...uh...I suppose so." I stutter out, myself still in half a state of ecstasy.

Diana giggles at my loss of words, as she breaks off from our conversation, heading towards the other side of the room.

As I continue to think about what just transpired, Akko and I move to the opposite side, myself not taking my eyes off of her.

Akko notices this.

"I still can't believe you two are dating." She quietly grunts at me.

"Yeah, me neither…" I smile to myself, still in a dreamy state from the kiss as I longingly gaze at the blonde in front of us.

Her lips were so soft, just like her demeanor-

"Ted!"

"H-huh?! What?" I confusingly stutter out, Akko's cries shaking me from my fantasy.

I hear Akko sigh at my behavior.

"Well Ted, I hope you have at least one plan for your girlfriend." She asks me in a mocking way.

In truth, I don't.

The last time I dueled with Diana was on the first day of school, and she took me down in less than thirty seconds. To be embarrassed like that again would be unfortunate.

However, I cannot forget the fact that during the period of time after the duel, up until now, I've gotten a lot stronger with magic, actually developing an understanding of it, even being able to achieve greater combat experiences both real and as a matter of practice.

But will that be enough to take on 'The Pride of Luna Nova'?

I glance at one of the burn temperature machines, this one tuned to Diana.

It currently reads one thousand.

So, that's her in a neutral state.

Or it could be her in a suppressed state, hoping to take us off guard with an unexpected heavy attack, not that she'd need to.

The last time I measured my burn temperature, it was 950, well below what Diana showed, that being 1500.

And it's not like Akko is adding much to the bunch, even with our strength together, it wouldn't be enough to handle Diana.

Even suppressed, she's still a first class spell caster!

"I say, we rush her." I finally say.

"What?!" Akko protests, clearly doubting the success of such an idea.

"If we were to both close the distance, attack her with all our might from the start before she has a chance to charge her powers, then perhaps we can overwhelm her."

"You realize Diana's a tank, right?" Akko asks me, still hesitant in the plan.

"You got any better ideas?" I annoyingly ask her, knowing full well that she doesn't.

"No…" Akko mutters, confirming this.

An air of silence now engulfs the field, a sort of stand off.

I internally work myself up, straining my muscles in a secret armement, knowing full well that the plan has a likely chance of failing.

It's like an insect fighting a dinosaur.

It's a good thing that this fight isn't real, and that the insect is dating the dinosaur.

"Now!"

And with that call of valor, Akko and I charge at Diana, our heavy footsteps echoing in the enclosed room, as our wands rise in an aggressive manner.

The blonde holds her ground, taking a defensive stance against the near attack.

Before the distance is closed, I launch a lightning bolt at her, the blue hue flashing across the room.

Diana does a swift dodge, the bolt crashing against the wall behind her.

In quick succession, Diana effortlessly blocks the shot fired by Akko.

Another shot is fired by me, and another by Akko, the both of us hoping to overwhelm her with firepower.

However, Diana simply back up, the two destructive forces smacking against each other, blowing up into nothing.

I unleash a barrage of lightning bolts, hoping that the sheer number of destructive bolts shall overwhelm her.

The room becomes a blind flurry of blue and purples, an almost tornado of lightning whirling around the room, each bolt exploding towards Diana.

Diana quickly deploys a ward spell, all my magical missiles smashing against her shield.

As Diana's preoccupied with what I threw at her, I yell to Akko

"Flank her!"

I rush to Diana's left, while Akko runs to her right.

Once in position, the two of us raise our wands, ready to overwhelm her with dispersed firepower.

In response, Diana quickly slices the air horizontally with her wand, a yellow glow being thrown at the both of us.

I deploy my own ward spell, standing my ground against Diana's first attack.

The yellow magic hits me with concentration, its sheer power shattering my shield, and throwing me back, myself managing to catch myself with a hand to the ground.

Akko, not knowledgeable about wards, tanks the shot, herself landing painfully on the ground as a result.

The whole room goes silent, as holding its breath, waiting to see what our response shall be.

The both of us manage to get to our feet, winded and tired from our failed attempt.

Our strength has been depleted, we are sore and battered, still facing the fresh Diana.

The blonde lets out a faint but satisfied smirk at this, saying

"Come now, surely that pathetic excuse for an attack wasn't the best you two could do."

I hear Akko let out a growl of protest at this.

As for me, I'm a bit overwhelmed by Diana's sheer power.

Even now, as a teenager, not even at full power, she is able to comfortably stand her ground against two able bodied mages.

I can only imagine what she's like when she'll be full grown!

But right now, that's not important. I need to deal with Diana in the here and now. For my pride, for my confidence, and to bring myself the rematch and test that I've been wanting since we first dueled.

"So Ted, you got any other grand battleplans?" Akko snides at me while walking to my side, a bit of hopeless humor in her voice.

I follow her tone, asking

"So Akko, I don't suppose you could summon that same strength you showed when you defeated the dragon, and again with the titan?"

The witch lets out a mourningful chuckle, muttering

"Hehe, sorry, I wish I could."

Speaking of that power, I can't help but wonder the true source of it.

It seems as though Akko can only conjure this great strength when she's bearing The Shiny Rod, and a great amount of strength it is.

But, there is a possibility that that strength could come from Akko herself, and that The Rod only acts as a focal point for it, kind of like a wand.

But, that wouldn't explain why Akko is so incompetent in magic when The Rod isn't present.

I haven't forgotten that at the beginning of my witchy adventure, even I didn't know how to fly a broom. But, even I eventually learned, and while I'm not the most stable flier, I can still maintain my movement through the air. Akko, however, hasn't managed to learn to fly, and it seems that her abilities as a witch haven't gotten much better as they were during the beginning of the year.

Akko and I are similar in the sense that we both started our schooling here with little to know real knowledge on magic and how to yield it properly. I managed to quickly and steadily improve myself in the art, mostly due to my own drive and the endless hours of studying with Diana, something that I greatly appreciate from her.

Akko surely has the drive to do so, but lacks any real teaching source, her goofing off or even falling asleep during the class lessons.

Speaking of Diana, I should probably be thinking of a valid strategy to defeat her.

If the both us of coming at her at once, throwing everything we got in an attempt to best her didn't work, a new strategy will be required.

Let's see, Diana's like an impenetrable wall, something similar to Jericho or Babylon. However, even these great walls eventually crumbled to dust, all the while Diana stands tall and proud.

Superior and mass firepower and a micro human wave tactic didn't work on her, she was able to repel the both of us with great ease.

If splitting her concentration in half didn't work, then maybe someone should share the brunt of it.

"I've got a plan." I inform Akko.

"What is it?" She asks.

"If one of us were to charge up to full strength, and unleash a full power blast onto Diana when she isn't looking, I think that might be enough to defeat her. However, Diana of course wouldn't let one of us charge to full power, nor would she allow a sneak attack, she's far too aware of her surroundings for that. So, while one of us is charging the attack, the other should distract Diana." I look at my partner, saying. "And I think that should be you, Akko."

Her jaw practically smacks the floor, as she opens her mouth in shock, gasping

"What?! Why me?!"

"Just think about it, Akko. Diana wouldn't waste any strong magic on you."

Akko lets out another growl at this claim, but overall lets me continue.

"If Diana was focused on you, then she would be in a suppressed state, a weakened state that would allow me to hit her with all my strength."

'I guess that makes sense…" Akko mutters, a bit hurt by this reality.

Ignoring this, I say

"I'll need you to hold her off while I gather the energy, a minute at most. You think you can do that?"

After a moment of contemplation, Akko's face changes from shock to that of agreement.

"Alright, if you're sure it'll work, let's try it."

In truth, I have far more confidence in this plan than the past one. Unlike the previous one, I actually thought about this one.

It'll work, I'm sure it will.

"Trust me, Akko. I know an easy win when I see one, I'm a Roman." I can't help but grin at this statement. "It's what I do."

I haven't talked about my Roman heritage or family pride in a while. I should work on that.

With that, like a fresh faced gladiator facing off against a Barbary lion, Akko steps forward, a sinister smirk spread across her face.

Akko balls up her free hand into a fist, the mass of flesh trembling with pent up rage.

"Now, I have a little spell that I wanted to show you. Remember? It was the one I was going to show you when we first met..."

"Are you referring to that little fire duel during orientation?" Diana asks, not at all intimidated by Akko.

I mentally block out their waxing fight, myself entirely focused on producing a great amount of power in a short amount of time.

This one will have to be even bigger than the one I used for the AP Destruction exam, greater than 950.

With great concentration, I clench up my arm and fist, forcing the magic to rush through my arm and into my wand like a violent river.

A bright blue ball of lightning begins to form on the tip, growing bigger as time passes.

I grunt out in pain, as viens almost as blue as my magical creation begin to pop up around my arm, a particular one throbbing near my temple.

I hear and feel the very air around me being sucked in and eventually blown away to counter the growing heat.

I hear Akko let out a loud grunt.

Breaking my concentration, I spot her fight against Diana.

She seems to be following my approach, charging up an attack for Diana.

A familiar jingle fills the air, a number, too far away for me to read, begins to rapidly count up.

"Hmm, her burn temperature is rising…" I hear Diana mutter, taking note to this.

Another jingle hits Diana's ear, this time from my direction.

She twists around, reading a number on the machine tuned to me.

"And your's too?" She gasps out. "Your burn temperature is all the way up to 1020, and its still rising."

Damn!

I wanted to ensure that this attack would be a surprise, something that could catch Diana off guard, destroying her ability to counter.

This burn temperature machine, this device, it can just ping and ping, destroying any attempt of a secret armament. Any kind of growth in power, the machine will pick up on it, and will screech and jingle.

At the very least, it seems that I've gotten stronger since that entrance test.

Even if it's only a little, I would prefer a burn temperature of 1020 over 950 anyday.

I can at least give the machine the positive comment of saying that it can accurately read burn temperatures.

This at least shows that I'm getting better, my skills in magic more defined. A few weeks, maybe a month have gone by since the test, and my power has already grew by 50 points, and as Diana said, it's still rising. Who knows, maybe it will go all the way up to 1500, or even greater, forcing her to show me a better sample of her power.

That would be something that I'd like to see. It's a great interest of me to see Diana's true power, although I doubt I could get it out of her through simple duels alone.

Even I can recognize that compared to Diana, I can't compete.

Although, compared to everyone else, I'm a first class wizard, not one to be trifled with.

A Roman is a Roman, it's what we do.

With this in mind, I continue concentrating every drop of magical power into my wand.

By now, a rather dense and heavy sum of the stuff has accumulated, my arm shaking slightly due to weight and just plain fatigue.

As I continue my charging, I once again have my concentration broken.

Whatever magic Akko was able to gather was clearly not enough, as once she fires it, it is easily blocked by Diana, almost as if it was nothing.

In response, Diana smoothy fires a small burst of magic at Akko, the yellow hue smashing against Akko's fighting hand, effectively disarming her.

The blonde then points her wand at a defenseless Akko, exclamation with a smirk

"Once again, Akko, I win."

It's now or never!

With a grunt between my grinding teeth, I fling the ball of my labor at her, screaming

"It's over!"

Diana quickly turns towards me, only to let off a ward spell in the nick of time.

My magic missle explodes against her shield, creating a blinding flash of light and power, myself having to cover my face from the brightness and heat.

I hear Akko let out a startled cry, the sheer explosion of booming thunder echoing and shattering through the air in this enclosed classroom.

I quickly twist my head to the machine, hoping to get some new number on Diana.

However, I'm hit with disappointment as it still reads 1500, the same number she showed at the entrance test.

No! That's enough to counter my attack!

Quickly turning my head back to the battle, I am led to an even greater disappointment.

Diana stands firm, an arm extended boldy, not even a scratch nor dent in her shield, it still sparkles and shimmers, as if no pressure was ever thrown upon it.

Not even her face shows a sign of strain, still perfectly calm and calculating. In fact, I believe I see her face bearing a confident smirk.

"Well, that certainly had a little more power than what Akko put out." Diana admits. "But I'm afraid it still wasn't enough."

Her smirk shifts into a smile, one that shows playfulness rather than fighting fury.

"Shall we continue?"

What a ridiculous question.

Even now, in this state of stagnation, sweat runs down my forehead. All this running around that Akko and I did really took any energy and fighting spirit out of us, all the while Diana is still fresh, reading for a hundred more clashes with us.

If the combined powers of myself and Akko, both at full strength didn't work, then how can the two of us in a tired state manage her?

"Okay Diana…" I sigh out, putting my wand back into the satchel.

Diana, not only my girlfriend but a true first class witch who is only bested by Faralda in destruction magic, is the only one that I can truly admit can beat me.

Enjoy being on the top of the pyramid while it lasts Diana, for one day, I will be strong enough to defeat you, just not today.

"You win."

In response, Diana puts her wand away as well.

Diana makes her way over to me, looking slightly surprised and interested in something.

"You're hair's all messy." Diana claims.

I put a hand to my hair, and sure enough I feel a great amount of disparity.

It must've gotten messed up from the duel, all the running around and the force of all that magic being thrown at me and her must've done something to tangle up my hair.

"You look cute with that hair." Diana speaks to me in a way you would to a puppy dog, slowly rubbing and running her hands in my hair.

A little embarrassed by this unexpected action as well as Akko being present, I pull back.

"Oh, come on…" I mutter, a little red in the face.

She closes the distance that I made, returning to my hair.

"No, I like it all messed up." She smiles at me.

I continue to feel an air of embarrassment, but don't attempt to retreat anymore.

I have to admit, the feeling of her smooth hands running through my hair, rubbing my scalp, is surely something that I can enjoy.

"Oh yeah, how would you like it messed up and matted with blood?" I hear Akko growl, an unmistakable aura of anger.

Diana retreats from her physical affection towards me, putting her hands on her hips as she glances at Akko.

"Come now, Akko." Diana sighs out, that air of superiority and arrogance in her tone all too apparent. "Just because you will never find a suitable companion for yourself, that doesn't mean you should be jealous of Theodore and I."

Akko's neck immediately tightens with a certain spectre of rage, her mouth twisting into a scowl across her red face.

I expect her to do something extreme, perhaps charge at Diana or utter hateful words.

However, all Akko does is let out a deep and heavy sigh, more of a growl or moan than a sigh.

She turns her back to the two of us, facing one of the stone walls.

She begins to angrily point and jab her wand at wall, crying out

"Languorem! Languorem! Languorem!"

She seems to be practicing a spell, maybe one that would come to some use during our expedition.

With each cry of the spell, a color of anger flashes through Akko's eyes, a scowl on her face and malevolence in her appearance, and then goes away only to resurface upon the next utterance. Whatever rage that Akko didn't pass onto Diana, she seems to be using in her practice.

That's good, Akko definitely wouldn't want to pick a real fight with Diana.

However, even with all the anger fueling her movements, it seems that the spell holds nothing special for Akko, as her repeated attempts to cast it end up in failure, as it seems they always do.

Even so, she still continues to fight on.

I can admire that about her.

"I'm going to shower before our next lesson." Diana informs me, ignoring Akko's self practice, her mouth forming into a pleasant and friendly smile. "Don't forget, we still have that date to talk about."

Her smile proves infectious, as I soon join in.

"Yeah, that sounds wonderful..." I say, as I notice Akko point something at Diana. "Really wonderful."

"Languorem!" I hear Akko cry out, a flash of light barely visible from my phereficial vision.

The smiling woman of beauty and grace standing before me is instantly consumed by an ugly green cloud, completely covering her in a sticky and sick mist which belches with a corrupt bellow and evaporates around her, leaving a horrible odor in the air.

Diana stares at me with weak and tired eyes, a mix of dismay and fright on her face.

Only a silent moment passes, and Diana goes weak at the knees, beginning to collapse.

"Diana!" I cry out, barely managing to catch her before her meeting with the floor.

With her in my arms, my eyes meet with her, but unlike the passionate and heartfelt gazes that are normally shared between us, Diana just lazily stares vacantly at me, as if all the energy and life has been drained away from her.

Only by her labored breathing am I sure that this is not the case.

With quick fury, I twist my neck at the one held responsible for this great crime.

"What the hell, Akko?!" I scream at her, my cold voice full of malevolence and ill wishes.

"I-I'm sorry!" Akko yelps out, immediately dropping her wand, her hands in the air, a deep seated look of regret and fear sliced and burned across her face. "I just...I just…"

"You just?!" I howl at her.

Akko's body completely goes stiff by my words, more so by my tone than the former mentioned.

"You goddamn Jap!" I continue to scream at her. " Why don't you disembowel yourself like all the other defects?!"

I strike Akko dead with a cold and heartless glare, wishing for only the greatest suffering and humiliation to fall onto her.

The rage and impending violence in my eyes only retreats when I hear the voice of the girl in my arms.

"You-" Diana weakly murmur, before entering an intense coughing fit. "You insufferable little girl."

More hacks and moans come from the blonde.

"Oh God, what happened, Diana?!" I cry out, returning my full concern to her.

"Languorem…" Diana mutters in a hushed tone, as if speaking some dirty word. "It's…it's a sickness spell."

"You poisoned her!" I accuse Akko.

"No!" Akko cries out in protest, still retaining her scared and self worried tone. "It was an accident...I...uh...I-I ugh!"

Seeing that Akko is now reduced to a blubbering mess, so useless that she can't even justify her own actions, I ignore any further talks with her.

While she continues to stutter and mutter her indistinguishable words, I sling the weary and ragged Diana's arm over my shoulder.

The rapid coughing and rough breathing sounds like Hell in my ears, especially coming from someone I care so much about.

"I've got to get you to the nurse!" I cry out to Diana, nerves still stressed to the breaking point.

With her being supported by me, the two of us head our way quickly to the door, Diana coughing and Akko still suffering from her own actions all the while.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Akko really did another one of her big blunders this time, but was Theodore's rage and harsh words justified?**

 **And what about that romance that Diana and Ted shared, huh? That sure put Akko in an awkward situation, being the third wheel and all. But, do you want to cuck yourself just like Akko and see your waifu Diana or husbando Theodore engaging in that action? Then head on over to WaywardBot's Deviantart, ThouthineaThoth, to see that sick salt. All around the world, Diakko boys and girls are ravaging pictures of me and Wayward, I'm sure.**

 **Right now, you might be asking yourself "Roman, you promised another amazing Diakko as soon as you reached 70 followers, and now your at 82. What the hell, where are they?"**

 **Well, don't worry my adoring fans, for as I write this arc, Nightcore Miku himself is going to be writing the first Diakko. With his reputation, I'm sure he can only do good.**

 **So far, no one has successfully guessed what I based this arc off of, but I hope this chapter will clear it up more, and the answer will come.**

 **Also, another thing. I think that I may have over extended myself, and teenage confidence clouded my judgment of reality! Remember when I told you boys about my idea of turning The Mendacius Arc into a real aloud with Casting Call Club? Well I was making the project, and realized that I would need so many characters and so many lines, that it would be impossible to do with my lack of experience on that site.**

 **But I still want to do a Casting Call for this story.**

 **So, instead I decided on something smaller, but still enjoyable. We can do a Casting Call for my grand Diakko short "An Unexpected Guest", the fanfic that destroyed the very fabric of the universe! Comment on how you feel on that, please, I want to know your thoughts!**

 **Don't forget to have a good day my boys and girls, and don't forget to keep it ridged.**


	33. Sickness and Song

**Author's Note: It's Feeeeeeeeed…...back…gaming...welcome back, you guys. Now I know that some of you thought I died or wanted me to die due to the lack of uploads, but I can explain! I'm sure that some of you are aware by now, but if you're not, well, some great La Plata man took time from his cattle herding and came to me with an offer. He said that he wanted to translate my story into Spanish, so that all the burrito guidos of the world shall read my glorious fanfic! Of course, I told him that he could, but only if I could revise my earlier chapters, since they're all lesser compared to my creations now. Well, my revisions are now done, and you can check out this man, NecrosX, and his story Little Witch Academia: Little Wizard Academia. It's just amazing that someone wants to do this! Also, I just graduated from high school, so I had to deal with the parties and graduation all that, but now it's done! And a good thing too, I was starting to fear for my life over here:**

" **Its been a month,come one break just started i want my update."**

" **I should have your head on a platter, if you don't update! :("**

 **Dang man, all of that sounds pretty scary. I didn't know that ISIS fighters were reading my fanfic.**

" **Seems like there's just so much passive aggressiveness to the Diakko fandom in your author notes that's slipping into your stories even. Not sure if it's a guilty conscience reaction due to a realization that you're toxic to a LWA fandom. Well the writing is passable as always. Theodore calling Akko such racist things was a good eye-opener to the kind of character he is. Good effort indeed."**

 **Well man, you're righter than my right hand here. I sure am toxic to a LWA fandom, just not this one *dabs into 4000 years of forced child labor*. And thank you sir, I put a lot of effort into my passable writing.**

 **Well boys and girls, it's time for this long awaited story.**

 **I'm sure it'll be worth it!**

* * *

"You are on the thinnest of ice, young lady! If I were in your situation, I would've drowned myself in the cold water from shame alone! Do you understand me?!"

"Y-yes…"

"Why, in all my years of teaching, I have never had the displeasure of teaching a witch with so little consideration for others! It truly is a shame that you would even consider yourself worthy of witchcraft!"

This time, Akko says nothing, her head hanging low in shame.

"I have tried to follow the phrase: 'No matter how much trash their is, it's still trash', implying that no matter how many struggles we face, it's still conquerable, but dealing with trash like you on a day to day basis has completely destroyed my faith in that quote! Back in my day, if one of us were so foolish as to strike at a fellow student, we would've been dealt the same blow three fold as punishment! It's a wonder how you're still in this school You would've been black and blue by now!"

Akko manages to tilt her head up, facing the wrath of Ms. Finnalin, a few tears in her eyes.

"I...I didn't mean to…" She barely manages to eek out, shame, regret, and fear grinded into her sorrowful face.

Upon hearing this, the once loose and furious face of Finnalin becomes hard and concentrated.

The teacher narrows her gaze at the young student, intense anger radiating from her focused vision, all focused on Akko.

"I don't believe you." The teacher mercilessly hisses out.

"Now Ms. Finnalin…" Principal Holbrooke interjects, sitting in her chair. "I think you're being a little hard on the young one."

The teacher spins around to face her superior.

Although I can't see the teacher's face, her tone shows anything but respect.

"A little hard? A little hard?! Why, I'm surprised you haven't sent her packing yet, after she pays for her crimes of assault that is!"

"She says she didn't do it." The principal holds firm, still giving the same aged smile she shows to all staff and students alike.

"And you're believing her?!" Ms. Finnalin questions.

"While she might have her fair share of accidents and rule breaking, she's not one to lie."

"Oh come now! How can you fall for her lies?! She's the worst student this school has ever had!" Ms. Finnalin claims, pointing at a mourningful Akko as she does. "She hardly pays attention in class, and when she does it's either to crack jokes or ask when lunch is!"

"Even so, that still doesn't mean she has the capacity of not only assault, but lying about the case as well."

Ms. Finnalin turns her head to me, addressing me for the first time since I dragged Akko over here.

"You, Theodore, you were there. What happened? Did Akko attack Diana?"

I grimace as I recall the details of the event.

Diana and I were just talking about a future date, and then Akko strikes her with a spell.

"All I saw was Akko look at Diana with rage, she had that face the whole time we were training." I explain to them. "Then after the session, Akko attacks Diana with a sickness spell."

This was true, Akko had always had a disdain for Diana, probably jealous of her overwhelming skill and magic and vast superiority to her.

Still though, I never thought that she could do such a thing, and especially to someone that I care so much about.

Aren't we friends?

I still see it, remember it so well as if it had just happened moments ago.

The relative calm after the battle, the plans that Diana and I were forming, the flash of green, and then…

I stop, the image of Diana, so helpless and weak filling my brain.

The pain and discomfort, the illness that was brought upon her, it was all Akko's fault!

"Sh-she attacked her!" I accuse, suddenly exploding into anger.

Akko stares at me, mouth agaped and eyes wide at my accusation.

Satisfied, Ms. Finnalin turns to the principal.

"There you have it." She says.

Ms. Holbrooke lets out a heavy sigh at this, taking off her square glasses as she does.

She pinces the brim of her nose, thinking, letting out an occasional sigh or heavy breath.

Putting her glasses back on, she addresses all of us present.

"Well then, with that, this case shall surely be looked into further. Theodore is also known not to lie, but the word of any witch or wizard can be proven wrong, and I shall not punish Akko through accusation alone. Those were the days of the witch hunts, when a mere finger point was enough to sentence someone to the stake. However, in terms of further questioning and investigating, now's not the time for such things."

"And why not?" I question the principal, hands at my side in disapproval.

Akko hurt Diana. I want her to be punished.

"Well, this operation, which has successfully remained a secret to the rest of the student body thus far, is already undermined." Ms. Holbrooke says to me. "Now that Diana has gone down with sickness, throwing Akko, another able body, out of this would be a foolish decision."

"Why don't we just send one of the other problem students?" Ms. Finnalin ponders. "If I remember correctly, that O'Neil girl wanted to join in on the expedition far more than anyone else we considered. Why not ask her?"

The principal lets out a rather embarrassed grin, saying softly

"Well, I've already sent her and most of the other children home."

"You did what?" The teacher cries. "You claimed we're undermanned, and yet you send the majority of our manpower away?! That makes no sense! Explain yourself!"

"They have already finished what we asked of them." The principle explains. "I wanted the children to be able to enjoy their vacation to the fullest possible. We've already taken enough time from them as it is."

"You're way too lenient with troublemakers. " Ms. Finnalin points out, her anger now turning into a sullen tone. "The children are the reason that we're in this situation."

"Luna Nova has been in a period of economic decline for a while now." The principal reminds Finnalin. "It was going to happen sooner or later. Let us just be grateful that we caught wind of it before any talks of foreclosure could become a reality."

"So, just when did you send them home? And how many are left?" The teacher asks her.

"I excused them earlier today. Constanze and Sucy have already created a wonderful defensive weapon to be used. It's already been field tested by both Theodore and staff alike, Faralda I would assume. Amanda was instructed to provide detailed descriptions on all the creatures that are present on the island. Although her work started slow and unmotivated, once we told her she could go home once she was done, her work production grew considerably. However, Lotte and Jasminka are still present, their jobs being to gather all the supplies the expedition might need."

The principal sighs at a passing thought before saying

"Unfortunately, the plane tickets we requested are registered for only youths, so a decision between Lotte and Jasminka will need to be decided."

Really? Those are our only two options?

Diana, a skilled practitioner of magic is now sick and unable to go.

Now, the only two students that could take her place are Lotte and Jasminka?

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't mind spending time with Lotte. However, taking her to an island with known monsters even if the danger was leveled to be low is still a risk that makes me sweat. Additionally, she's way too soft and nice for something that could require confrontations, although her abilities to calm spirits and other supernatural creatures might come in handy. And Jasminka is, well, Jasminka. She's way too nice as well, and not to mention, maybe a bit unhealthy for this expedition.

The odds of this hastily assembled plan coming into fruition are looking dimmer as time goes on.

Before the teacher has a time to respond, Ms. Holbrooke turns her gaze towards me.

"Well Theodore, thank you for bringing this to our attention." She says. "I would appreciate it if you would give Ms. Kagari and us time in private."

"Of course. But where's Diana?" I ask, worry present in my voice. "Is she alright?"

The last time I saw her was right after the attack.

I took an ill Diana to the nurse's office and then promptly took Akko here.

"As of now, she's under the more than capable care of Nurse PagetDaPanda." Ms. Holbrooke informs me. "If you wish to see her, she's currently recovering in her room."

With this new information, I begin to leave the room, telling the principal

"Thank you very much."

Before leaving, I can't help but cast my gaze at Akko.

She's in the corner of the room, head held low and weak as auras of sorrow, self pity, dread, and overall regret flow all around her.

Even if she made Diana become ill, I still can't help but feel a slight tinge of sorrow for her.

We were friends who got along fairly well, I recount the times we shared during school and even the sleepover that seems so distant, overshadowed by what followed afterwards.

Sensing my gaze, Akko weakly looks up at me, her eyes wet as she attempts to hold back the flood gates.

I harden my gaze at her, turning away from Akko, leaving the room.

"Enjoy the rest of the day." I hear Ms. Holbrooke tell me. "And please, don't injure yourself. We can't afford to lose another."

* * *

Walking down the hallway towards Diana's room, I can't help but have fleeting thoughts on her current situation.

God, I really do hope that she's okay.

In just a moment, Diana went from her usual self to a tired and ill will state, one that didn't even allow her to stand on her own feet.

That gave me a scare, a heavy scare that has now calmed into worry.

Like Ms. Holbrooke says, Diana is in safe hands.

I remember my first dealing with Nurse PagetDaPanda, that being when I was worse for wear after my fight with Mendacius. It was her that fixed my injuries, applying bandages and goss to the afflicted areas.

Even more so, she was able to see through my lie instantly, but still kept it a secret as to my request.

Yeah, I think I can trust her to tend to Diana.

I open her door, entering the room.

I spot a tired, worn out Diana, laying in bed, a deep and heavy sleep currently overtaking her.

I also see Nurse PagetDaPanda kneeling down next to her, a few medical tools on a nearby table.

I cautiously walk over to the two, not wanting to wake Diana up, but also not wanting to bear witness to the sick and ill girl who I care so much about.

As I draw closer, the physical changes have grown even more apparent.

The usual pale skin of Diana is now completely dwarfed by an even paler, sicker looking color, a thin layer of sweat covering her forehead. She also has the iconic black streaks of an ill patient underneath her eyes.

She takes heavy, phlegm filled, breaths, an almost pained look on her face as she sleeps.

It really does pain me to see her in such a state.

After all that she's done for me, comforting me when I needed it the most, educating and tutoring me in magic far better than the teachers could, and overall just being kind and considerate to me, she's still found herself in such a state.

Seeing this Diana, one that I didn't have time to see in the hectic time of infection, only acts as lumber to fuel the already growing disdain that I now have for Akko.

I don't care what happened between the two, Diana doesn't deserve this.

Akko is a fool for even considering such an action, an even bigger fool for carrying it out.

"H-How is she?" I ask, myself now having the courage to find out.

"She's doing better now." The nurse responds to me, putting a few medical tools away in her bag. "After giving her medicine, she was able to fall asleep. Hasn't been up since."

That's good, at least she's doing well.

I knew that Diana would be able to recover from this, even if it still pains me to see her like this, in a state of weakness and pain.

"That's good." I tell her, letting out a sigh of relief. However, I quickly find myself back in a state of concern as one question comes to mind. "But what exactly does she have? Sickness I mean. She was hit by a magic spell after all."

She lets out a slight chuckle at my nervousness.

"Well, it is my professional diagnosis, as a holder of a doctoral degree from The University of Birmingham Medical School, to say that she has...a fever."

"I know that." I tell her, a bit annoyed by her obvious claim. "I mean, what else is there? She was struck by a spell."

"That's just it." She replies, this time a bit annoyed by my attitude. "Even if it was caused by magic it is still just a fever, and can be treated as such. All she needs is proper rest and fluids. You shouldn't worry. She should be back to full health in around five days or so."

Five days or so? We leave for the expedition in two days!

"Can't you just use magic to take away her illness?" I plead with her.

I'd even act as an assistant to her if need be.

I remember when Diana acted as needed help to me, when I was making the potion to bring Lotte's dad back during Samhain.

I was in a state of heavy tiredness, almost passing out on multiple occasions.

I wasn't ready to give up, but was too weak to do anything too productive.

Diana really lent a hand to me that day.

This act of help, just another white feather that adds to the angelic wings of Diana, just another reason why Akko's actions were way out of bounds.

Just thinking of that name only grows the already heavy lump in my heart.

So much happened so quickly, all because of one girl's selfish and stupid action.

"Never use magic to cure things that can be cured on their own." Nurse PagetDaPanda informs me, a serious nature to her voice. "The risk of side effects are high."

I sigh at this.

Even if magic is a way to help her, with this new information in mind, I can't help but refute my past idea.

My eyes flicker from Diana to the nurse as I hear the metallic click of her leather bag locking, all of her tools now put away.

She grabs the bag by its handle, standing up, taking a moment to stretch her back.

"Well, now that she's all checked up on, I'll be leaving now." The nurse informs me.

Hearing these words, I ball up my hands, standing up with a start.

"But that's how she became sick in the first place!" I can't help but explode at her. "Ms. Faralda stepped out and Akko striked Diana! I'm sure she wouldn't have done it if the teacher was there."

Nurse PagetDaPanda takes a moment to gaze and ponder me, not expecting such a reprisal.

To be fair, it's not like the nurse was there to bear witness, but that's what happened.

Akko is one to normally act up and goof off, but as soon as a wary teacher has Akko in her eyes, the witch in training completely turns over a new face.

Akko most likely saw Faralda's leaving as an opportunity to strike.

Who knows, she might've been playing it from the beginning, not that she's smart enough to think ahead to such a degree.

"Yes, I heard that's what happened." She tells me, a bit off put by my tone. "I'm not sure where Faralda is right now though. I still can't believe that a normally nice and bubbly girl like Akko would do that."

Now realizing that my rage was misplaced, I calm down a bit, saying

"Neither can I."

With this engagement now done, the nurse gestures at a still sleeping Diana with her handbag.

"Even if she's resting well, it's best that someone would stand by her bed, in case anything were to happen."

She begins to move towards the door, saying

"Now that you're here, you can take my place. I'm sure you don't mind."

That makes sense.

Who better here to look after Diana than her own boyfriend?

Besides, I was planning on staying here anyway, I'm not sure for how long, maybe until she wakes up.

"Of course not." I tell her.

"Good." She says, showing me a smile. "I'm going to take a steam shower to wash the sick off of me. I advise you do the same as soon as you leave."

"Will do." I affirmatively tell her as she walks out. "And thank you so much for taking care of her…." I stop as a blush creeps up my neck and face. "She means alot to me…"

She stops, chuckling a bit at my confession.

"Hey, that's why I'm here." She says.

She then exits the room and closes the door, leaving me alone with a sleeping Diana.

I turn my attention back to her, drawing myself closer to her bed.

The nurse may have said that she's gotten better, but I still can't help but feel the unnerved stab of worry in my gut.

She still breathes heavy as the layer of sweat drips from her pale and discolored face.

With each gasp and wheeze that comes forth from her otherwise sweet mouth, I can't help but draw into myself more and more, as if what currently pains her is now felt by me.

I take a heavy breath as an overwhelming feeling of guilt now flows through me, almost as if I'm responsible for this.

Maybe I am.

I saw from the start the fire in Akko's eyes and knew of the disdain that she had for Diana. I even knew that the potential for another confrontation, no matter how small it was, was still there.

And yet I still allowed for the duel to take place, knowing full well what it might lead to.

I'm just as responsible for this as Akko was, maybe even more so considering I knew what would happen.

God…

After all that this girl has done for me, now she's laying sick and in bed, all because of my inactivity.

She's done so much for me, has comforted me so many times, has helped me so many times, that I think if she weren't here, I'd either be in a hospital or back home in Rome, having failed Luna Nova due to poor grades and regretting my decision of ever coming to this school.

But because of her and her love, I'm now more knowledged in magic than I've ever been, and it is because of her that I continue to learn the art...so that I may restore my family honor…

It is her doing that I might just bring the Sempronias from a place of taboo and scorn, back to a state of respect and pride.

I sigh at this, closing my eyes, saying

"I'm forever in debt to your priceless encouragement."

I hear the harsh breathing stop, followed by a faint

"T-Theodore?"

I open my eyes, seeing a still weak and weary Diana, looking up at me with slightly reddened eyes, dark streaks of tiredness underneath.

She's awake!

"D-Diana!" I cry out, myself instinctively drawing close to her.

"Don't...don't get to close." She moans out. "I wouldn't want to get you sick."

She then lets out a few ragged coughs in one hand, while the other attempts to push me away.

"Oh, you must be burning up!"

I quickly run into her bathroom, grabbing a hand towel.

Turning on the sink, I splash cold water onto it, running back to her bed.

"Don't worry…" I instruct her, nervousness beginning to grow in my voice. "I doubt it's the plague..."

I carefully put the cold cloth on her forehead, hoping to provide some relief to her fever heat.

She lets out a few horse chuckles.

"As do I. The nurse says I have Mononucleosis."

Mononucleosis?!

"Oh no! That sounds serious!" I cry out in dread.

"Relax please…" She begs me, uneasy at my extreme reactions. "It's very common and goes away overtime with plenty of rest and fluids. You might recognize it as 'Mono' in layman's terms. With the help of modern and ancient medicine, I'll be just fine."

I give a heavy sigh of relief, almost as heavy and deep as Diana's sick breathing.

That's great to here, just great. She had me so worried.

"But I could use a drink of water…my throat is killing me."

Discomfort to Diana?! Not on my watch!

I grab an empty cup on Diana's bedside table, probably given to her by the nurse.

"Right away!" I obediently tell her.

I run back to the sink in her bathroom, filling it up with water, going back to her bedside.

As comfortable as I can, I hold Diana by the back of her head, lifting in up while drawing the drink close to her.

She accepts, opening her mouth.

The cool water flows into her, herself making occasional gulps, the vibration of such a movement running through my hand.

We can't help but gaze at each other as she continues to drink.

No noise is made in the room, save for the drinking of Diana.

Oh Diana, you may not know this, but if it weren't for you, my whole would be different, and that's not just unstable and inconsistent teenage love talking.

All of your gifts you've given me, both in terms of material and immaterial, have not gone unnoticed nor unwanted. Everything you've done for me, whether it was wanted or not at the time, has only been proved to do well by me.

Within a few more moments, the cup is now as empty as when I picked it up.

I set the glass back down on the tableside.

"T-Thank you…" She tells me, voice a little less raspy due to the soothing liquid.

That sincere thank you, that small gift, is reward enough for my efforts.

"Do you need anything else?" I ask, ready and waiting for any instructions she may have.

I'm happy to give her any aid she might need, even if it was completely unrelated to her illness.

If she told me 'Jump', I'd simply ask 'How high?'

"No...I'm fine right now, thank you."

A moment of silence passes by, but ends as she lets out a slight groan, not one of pain but of irritation.

"I'm just so tired...and it's so hard to fall asleep..."

Hearing this, I stand up, saying

"If you want, I can ask Nurse PagetDaPanda to give you some sleeping pills."

"No, no, it's fine." She tells me, stopping me in my tracks. "You don't need to leave. I know how you can help me fall asleep."

Hearing this, I resume my kneeling position at her bedside.

"How?" I ask, drawing my face close to her's, wanting to perform whatever task she has in mind.

Even under the grogginess of the sickness, she manages to pull off a smirk.  
"Sing to me."

I'm taken aback by this unusual request.

"Sing to you?" I ask, not expecting this.

"Yes...sing me to sleep...a lullaby. I've never heard you sing."

But, sing to Diana…

That'll be a bit embarrassing.

My siblings always told me that my musical talent leaves much to improve upon, to put it lightly.

"Let it be in Italian too…" She adds. "...For me."

In Italian too?

No, I'll do it.

I already told her, and played it countless times in my head already. I will help Diana in whatever way she needs, no matter how unconventional it may seem.

With what she's done, a song in my native tongue will be nothing, not even a dent in my debt to her.

I owe her that much.

"Yes. For you, Diana."

She smiles at this, shifting her weight as to get comfortable.

That smile alone is enough to destroy whatever worries and insecurities I might have in this task.

I take a moment to think of which song to sing, pondering on if I should make my own.

There was a song that my mother used to sing to me when I was little.

It was based on a classic and beautiful song that has been around in Italy for more than one hundred years.

It was a song she would sing to me whenever I was in doubt or, as in Diana's case, finding it hard to sleep.

I'll have to alternate the song, just as my mother did, this time to fit Diana.

Yes, I'll do that one.

"Okay." I tell her, standing up so that she may hear me clearly. "Just promise not to laugh."

I hear her let out a few chuckles at this, saying playfully

"Cross my heart and hope to die."

Just hearing her say 'Hope to die' after what just happened, even if it is in a common expression, sends a few shivers up my spine.

But no matter to my over attached state!

Diana wants me to sing, and a song I shall sing to her.

Without further ado, I take a deep breath and close my eyes, beginning my hymn to her.

"Salve, o popolo d'eroi.

Salve, o Patria immortale.

I tuoi figli, che ancor non son nati

Nulla conoscono di lei.

Del suo eroico valore,

Della sua santa virtù,

La sua visione,

Che oggi inspira ogni cuore.

Diana, Diana,

Primavera di bellezza!

Della vita nell'asprezza

Il tuo canto squilla e va!

Dell' mondo nei confini

Lei fu rifatta.

Dio la rifatta.

Per quest'oggi glorioso,

Per l'alba del domani,

Per il passato e il brillante futuro,

Per la gogna di coloro

Che la nostra amata eroina osano rinnegar!

Diana, Diana,

Primavera di bellezza!

Della vita nell'asprezza

Il tuo canto squilla e va!

Diana, Diana,

Primavera di bellezza!

Della vita nell'asprezza

Il tuo canto squilla e va!

I poeti e gli artigiani,

I signori e i contadini,

Con orgoglio solidale

Giuran fede a lei.

Non v'è povero quartiere

Che non mandi le sue schiere

Che non spieghi le bandiere

Nel nome suo!

Diana, Diana,

Primavera di bellezza!

Della vita nell'asprezza

Il tuo canto squilla e va!

Diana, Diana,

Primavera di bellezza!

Della vita nell'asprezza

Il tuo canto squilla e va!"

As I finish, I open my eyes, once again bearing witness to a sleeping Diana.

However, this one is far different than the one I saw when I walked in.

On her pillow, her head lies peacefully, not at all suffering from the sweat it once had.

A light, not heavy or painful, breath now slips from her lips, her stomach rising and falling in tune.

Her blonde hair rather cutely covers parts of her face, a bit off to the normal prim and proper Diana.

She curls up with her pillow, her body fitting well with the flow of the blanket.

Peacefully she fell asleep, and now a peaceful sleep she was given and is currently reaping the benefits of, the benefits that I gave her.

It feels good to do right by her.

The water and cold towel was one thing, but this is something else.

Singing her to sleep, that's something you'd expect to see in some movie or a fanfiction, not played out in real life.

I was able to give her temporary relief from her illness. Now she sleeps soundly and well, because of something I did. I was at least able repay back some of what she's done for me.

I can't help but feel a sense of delight while looking at the sleeping Diana.

She'd look so much more cuter if she was always this relaxed, not constantly in a state of tension due to the stress of being seen as a perfect student, never doing wrong.

That must be a nightmare to deal with.

On another note, talking with her, caring for her, was truly enough to make up for how short this encounter we had was.

Even if it was brief, it was still precious.

"Buonanotte." I whisper to her, a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.

"A lovely song for a lovely lady." I hear someone behind me say. "I'm almost a bit jealous. I wish my crush would sing to me like that."

With my heart leaping into my throat and my face exploding into a thick shade of red, I quickly twist my head around.

I see Faralda, cooly leaning against the doorframe, a smirk on her face.

"F-Faralda?!" I cry out, embarrassed by her unknown viewing. "How long have you been s-standing there?!"

She lets out a single chuckle at my embarrassment.

"Awhile."

While I'm still suffering from a pounding heart and a beat red face, Faralda walks over to the bed, taking a glance at Diana.

"So, how's the tea drinker doing?" She casually asks.

"Hey, you be nice!" I demand, her insult to Diana shaking me back to normal. "She's very sick with a terrible cold!"

I grumble a bit, muttering

"Something that you're to blame for…"

She lets out a moan at this, taking a seat at the couch.

"Trust me, I already got an earful from Finnalin." She lets out another chuckle. "I think she even loosened up one of my tooth fillings."

She exaggerates her pain by digging a pinky into her ear, saying

"Honestly, I think she learned a bit of screaming magic from Mr. Brink."

Mr. Brink?

Oh yeah, the American exchange teacher. I wonder what became of him.

I haven't read his book in awhile.

"Well to answer your question…" I say, referring to her earlier inquiry. "She's doing better now. I think this sleep will do wonders for her."

Faralda takes another glance at Diana, grimacing a bit as she does.

"Honestly though, I should say I'm sorry." She sighs out after seeing Diana for herself. "I never thought this would've happened. Akko normally gets mad, but it's rare for her to lash out. And to this degree, impossible."

"Yeah, sure." I uncharacteristically mutter, not wanting to even talk about her. "Thanks, but it should be Diana that you're apologizing to. She's the one in pain after all."

She lets out a weak sigh, putting her hands to her hips.

"Yeah, I'll do that when she wakes up. I just really wanted to call Ursula."

Taken aback by her claim, I turn my gaze from Diana to Faralda.

"Wait, you said you were leaving to get food."

Isn't that what she said? I'm sure of it.

Now it is her turn to turn a few shades redder.

She fans her flaming face with one hand, trying to collect herself.

"Yeah...well...maybe that was a bit of a fib…"

She continues to be flustered, choking on her words as she does.

I don't think I've ever seen her act this way. She's normally so confident and calm that seeing her like this is rather off putting.

"Go on." I tell her, an eyebrow raised in suspicion.

"Okay, fine." She says, pausing for another few moments to gathering her thoughts, taking a breath through her nose. "I was going to spend Christmas Vacation with Ursula, but I was recalled back here to train you little ankle biters for Filicudi. I was telling her that I think I'll be back in a few more days."

I thought it would've been something deeper, something that would've required deception.

"If it was that, then why did you lie?" I ask.

"Well, I didn't want you to start thinking things...besides, if Finnalin heard that I left you three to have a call with Ursula, I think she would've really laid into me."

She lets out a few chuckles at the mention of Ms. Finnalin, saying

"It's funny, even if I'm a teacher like her, Finnalin still sees me as a reckless student."

"You had Ms. Finnalin as a teacher?" I ask.

"Oh yeah." She casually responds. "She taught both Ursula and I."

"On another note, I really admire the loyalty you have for Diana." Faralda informs me, now changing the subject. "It reminds me of when Ursula and I were in school together."

"You two have known each other for that long?" I ask, a bit surprised.

I knew the two of them were close, but nothing like this.

I figured they met up during their teaching years.

"Oh yeah, I was with her." She tells me, before flashing me a smile. "I even cheered her on when she was still Shiny Chariot."

Once again, in only a few words, Faralda takes me completely by surprise.

"You know she was Shiny Chariot?" I ask.

But doesn't most of the wizarding world treat that name with disdain?

I for one don't care much for Ursula's history, and I guess Faralda doesn't either.

"Oh yeah, I know all about that." She informs me. "She even told me that you know now, catching her off guard during that whole dragon fiasco."

I recall the details of that event in question.

I was running outside, while the dragon was making its way towards the top of the tower, trying to reach The Sorcerer's Stone.

I heard a screech, and someone was falling from great heights.

Using magic, I managed to stop the person from splattering on the hard ground.

And who was it?

It was Ms. Ursula, her normally blue hair now red.

After that, she confessed her secret identity to me.

"As for me.." Faralda continues, also recalling the events of that day. "I called in sick. Spent a bit too much time with Jack Daniels, if you know what I mean."

Who's that? One of her friends perhaps.

Maybe he was ill, and simply passed it onto Faralda by mistake.

"In any case…" Faralda tells me, getting up from her seat at the couch. "It'll take a few hours until Diana wakes up from her nap, and personally, I don't want to stay here for that long. A teacher leering at a sleeping student for hours on end is a bit too scandalous for me. Plus, I have things to do."

"And just what things?" I ask her, raising an eyebrow.

She flashes me a smirk, saying

"I'm hungry."

Getting her meaning from earlier, I say

"Well, I won't hold you hear. The food must be good."

Another chuckle comes from her.

"Very." She says, agreeing with me.

I take a glance at the still sleeping Diana, saying

"I'll tell you when she's woken up. You can say your peace to her then."

She lets out a happy huff, saying

"Well thank you for your permission."

She then stretches a bit from her sitting, before making her way to the door, leaving the room.

Once again, I'm now alone with Diana.

I take another glance at her.

She's still curled up, completely undisturbed.

Smiling at this, I take a glance at the clock, only now realizing that it's five PM.

With this new information in my mind, I can't help but let out a yawn, only know realizing how tired I am.

Today has certainly been an eventful day, from training to the principals and eventually to Diana's room.

I can't help but wonder what's become of Akko.

Most likely, she's still getting shouted at by Ms. Finnalin while Ms. Holbrooke attempts to act as a sort of peacekeeper between the two.

And I haven't seen Lotte or Jasminka all day today, themselves probably too occupied with their contribution to see me.

A shame, I wonder what would be Lotte's outlook on the whole scenario.

Speaking of the other students, I shared Ms. Finnalin's ignorance in the leaving of Amanda, Sucy, and Constanze. It's a bit strange that they would leave without so much as a goodbye to us, but I can understand. They probably want to get home back to Christmas and their families as soon as possible, not wanting to interrupt our training and work would also play a role.

I just hope that once we return from Filicudi, Diana will be over her sickness and the two of us can return to Rome and celebrate Christmas together with both Anchovy and my family, especially Romana, Diana and her were beginning to finally get along.

But these events seem so far away, despite them taking place only a few days from now.

Here in Luna Nova, there is no family or Christmas, only stress and preparation for what's to come.

Only here, Diana and Lotte are the two that I could consider family the most, the two that I would enjoy spending Christmas with here if it came to that.

I take yet another glance at Diana to ensure that she is in fact all well and still sleeping.

When she woke up, she was thirsty and burning up. Most likely, this will happen again.

Not wanting to leave Diana just yet, I move towards the couch that Faralda once occupied.

Taking a seat, I lay my head on the arm rest, getting comfortable.

I let out another yawn, moving over on my side.

Closing my eyes, I let the sounds of Diana's light breathing guide me towards my own sleep.

* * *

 **Author's Note: I've been wanting to create this chapter for a while now.** **I just can't wait to see the comments of Ted's singing coming in! The song in question was based off of the Italian song 'Giovinezza', meaning 'Youth' in English. While I recreated the song, I didn't translate the song into Italian. That credit goes to the great guido darkdragon97. Make sure to love him for his contribution! And if you want to know just what Ted sang to Diana, I shall leave a comment, giving the English translation. I know right, leaving a comment on my own chapter, talk about fake views!**

 **Onto the Ironic Diakkos that I owe you guys, I haven't forgotten. Nightcore Miku is still making his story perfect, and once this arc is over, I shall follow.**

 **And that whole casting call club idea that I had? Well, it's made!**

 **The title of it is:** **'An Unexpected Guest'** **on Casting Call Club.**

 **Make sure to check it out and audition!**

 **But because of all the flip flop from the casing call, I'll make it up to you.**

 **I** **myself bought Little Witch Academia: The Chamber of Time. I haven't played much of it, only about an hour. I'm going to play more later. Anyway, I found the character stats and decided to make one about good old Theodore! Now keep in mind, these stats are Theodore at the end of the story, in his prime when it comes to magical power. Also, some of these stats I had to make up and guess due to them not being shown in this fanfic like drop luck. I never even thought of that for him. Also, some of the numbers were made with the idea of Burn Temperature taken in, comparing the percentage of how strong Ted is compared to Diana at the end of the story helped me come up with them.**

 **Here they are, boys:**

 **HP: 130, MP: 221, Attack: 11, Defense: 6, Crit Chance: 10, Crit Evasion: 11, Drop Luck: 5, VIT (vitality): 12, STR (strength): 5, INT (intelligence): 13, AGI (agility): 6, LUK (luck): 4**

 **Strong Attack: Ballista Barrage (He'll learn this later. It's basically the spell 'Belga Veeda' with a Roman twist to it.)**

 **Normal Attack: Jupiter's Thunder (Just Ted's classic lightning spell.)**

 **Weak Attack: Poena's Pugio (Just his little 'Roman Kitchen Knife', as WayWard puts it.)**

 **Defensive Spells:**

 **Healing: Blessings of Apollo**

 **Shield: The Testudo (Just his standard ward spell.)**

 **I hope you boys enjoyed that little information list I gave! Consider it both for just cool spells, and a bit of spoiling for just how Ted will fair compared to all the other students!**

 **Don't forget to comment, follow, and fav.**

 **I'm starting to run out of ideas for an outro, and make sure to wash up after reading this, get all that toxic stuff off!**


	34. Risky Choices

**Author's Note: Hey there, Juggies! It's your old pal, Mcjuggernuggets, here!**

 **Whoa! I bet you guys thought that the ISIS fighters from the last author's note finally found me and hung me up on a spike. No, my adoring fans. Something even worse has happened. As time goes on, people grow older and new responsibilities come into play.**

 **That's right, my little autists, I got a job! I now work 5-6 days a week for 8 hours a day. That is why it took me double the time to upload, because believe it or not, when I get home at 11 PM after an 8 hour shift, my first desire isn't to spam words on a Google Docs page.**

 **Anyway, before we get down to the good stuff, let's answer a review:**

' **Huh Also, I would have loved if the main character had wore the skirt. That would have been hilarious'**

 **Ted ain't no trap, unlike a certain Wayward son's character...**

* * *

"Whoa-ho-ho! Now what would Ms. Finnalin think about this?"

This abrupt noise breaks the otherwise peaceful sleep that I've so far had.

Opening my eyes to the harsh lights of the room, I see something above me eclipsing the dominate light from the ceiling.

I squint, my tired and unfocused eyes finally allowing the figure above to take shape.

The black circle of nothing eventually comes into focus, revealing a smirking teacher.

"F-Faralda?" I groan, my brain still suffering from its slowed and tired state.

I lift my head up, blinking a few times as I take in the scene around me.

Laying on a couch, I find myself in Diana's room, herself still sleeping soundly, her slow and steady breathing being the best indicator that she is still well.

A glance towards the window, I see that the sun has just begun to rise over the horizon, the dawn of a new day.

I must've unknowingly spent the night in Diana's room.

My scan eventually finds itself back to Faralda, herself still bearing the same smirk as before.

"W-what?" I weakly mutter out.

She lets out a few snickers at my state, taking a seat next to me on the couch.

"I mean, when you first came to this school, you were under the watchful eyes of Big Brother, making sure that any thoughts of casual encounters from you would be snuffed. And now, look at you. Sleeping away in your girlfriend's bedroom! Well, I don't need a burn temperature machine to know that this is hotter than your face in the next few seconds!"

Upon hearing such a thing coming from her, I feel my face return to the all familiar heat and sweat of embarrassment.

Just what could she mean by that?!

Seeing her claim coming out as factual, Faralda lets out a victorious humph.

"Told you." She confidently says, still bearing a smile.

"Q-Quiet you!" I shout, still flustered by her words.

After a few seconds of controlled breathing, the burning sensation subsides, myself calming down.

"Anyway, why are you here?" I ask her, the embarrassment now gone with the wind.

"I just swung by to tell you that Lotte and Jasminka are in the principal's office. The two are going to decide which one will go to Filicudi."

Oh that's right. I remember Ms. Finnalin and Principal Holbrooke mentioning that. I just didn't know that it was today.

So now that Diana, the best girl in terms of magic at this school, has been afflicted by a sickness spell, Lotte and Jasminka, the only two that remained after Principal Holbrooke sent the rest home, are going to decide which one of them should go into an expedition onto an island full of monsters.

Way to go, Akko. You threw away gold for copper.

"It's happening right now." The teacher informs me. "In Holbrooke's office. Everyone's there, the principal called for you."

"Why did it take the principal so long to call for me?" I ask, a bit offended by this neglect.

I'm as much apart of this project as another person here, perhaps more considering what I'll be doing.

"The staff was out looking for you, even a few of the gnomes got in on it." She tells me. "But I knew you would be here, so did the nurse."

She lets out a bit of a chuckle, saying

"PagetDaPanda and I even had a little bet on just what you were doing here. Guess I lost though. I thought that you might be doing something juicy with Diana, but PagetDaPanda reminded me that this wasn't The Anniversary Special. I have no idea what she meant by that, but she won the bet, so that doesn't matter anyway."

Her grin and chuckle turns into a frown as she thinks about her loss to this bet.

"I owe her one of my Family Force Five concert tickets. A shame too, I was going to give one to Ursula."

Family Force Five?

I know I've heard of that music band from somewhere before, but I don't remember.

They must be a good one though if I, a native Italian, have heard of them, an Anglophone band.

I lean myself closer to the couch's edge, this added movement beginning to wake myself up.

A yawn and eye rub later, I turn back to Faralda, asking

"So, you said that Lotte and Jasminka are in the principal's office?"

"Yup. The two of them are going to decide which one should go. Nurse PagetDaPanda, Holbrooke, Finnalin, and Akko are there right now. The only two missing are you and I."

I take another glance at Diana, assuring myself that all is still well with the ill sleeper.

Her slow and steady breathing, the almost neutral look of sleep, has replaced her once sweaty and strained expressions.

Diana's fine right now, she's stable and sleeping, she's recovering.

I let out a light smile at this revelation.

She's fine to leave alone.

* * *

"As I'm sure the both of you are aware, Diana has been rendered incapable of carrying out the expedition to Filicudi due to a sickness. The culprit of such act shall receive a just punishment upon her return…" Ms. Finnalin's eyes shooting a glance at the nervous witch in the corner.

Akko gulps nervously at this, her eyes wide with concern at what the teacher could mean.

Ms. Finnalin continues.

"In any case, the two of you are the only ones who can fill in Diana's position in such short notice, so it is imperative that the two of you decide now, for the plane and tour guide come tomorrow."

"Before the two of you make any decisions, know this…" Principal Holbrooke adds. "The one chosen here will occupy Akko and Theodore to Filicudi on a search for the treasures that are found there. While there have been monsters reported and confirmed on the island and raids based off that island have occured in the past, attacks done by these creatures have shown a gradual decline for many years. In other words, we believe that they might be becoming docile, although this is only a theory. Food, transport, and living quarters have already been provided, as well as pilots and a native to Filicudi who will act as a guide in order to ensure that the trip is as quick and clean as possible. We shall be using a 'Super King Air 200', rented by us and owned by the pilots. The pilots themselves have had training to handle many types of crisis, from an injury to the worst case scenario. If all goes well, and it will go well, the three of you will return to Luna Nova with the treasure within a few days from now, our debts will be payed off, and you may return to your families before Christmas. This is a low risk yet high reward trip, all factors have been taken into account. We even have a list of all the monsters known to inhabit the island, dangerous or not. A satellite phone, given by Diana to Theodore, will also be used to keep in contact with us while you search for the treasure."

After this long speech, the aged principal closes her eyes, taking a deep breath to gather her thoughts, before asking

"Now, do any of you two have a question?"

I take a glance at Lotte, wondering if she herself would have any concerns.

She is probably one of the most nervous and self doubting one among us afterall.

However, what surprises me is not the lack of movement from her arm, but by the current expression on her face.

The best way to describe it is gray and sullen while also in weak and timid thought.

She hangs her head low, not in sadness, but as if she was a victim of an emotional vampire that has left her completely drained.

There isn't a single idle movement coming from her, only a few shallow breaths.

The only other time I've seen this look from her was when I first told her about her dad at the cafe.

However, no one else notices as Jasminka raises her hand in question.

"Yes?" The principal asks.

The pink haired girl tilts her head, slight worry and concern in both her voice and expression.

"I noticed that while Lotte and I were making the food for the trip, there were no snacks, only gross pre made rations. Can I bring lots of candy with me?"

Faralda's right eye twitches in disbelief, as she stares at the young witch.

"You're being considered to join on an expedition to save our school from financial collapse, and this is your main concern?"

Not being able to understand the frustration within the elder, Jasminka gives off a simple shoulder shrug, simply saying

"If I don't eat enough, I'll get cranky."

A cranky Jasminka?

If there is anyone here who is sweeter than Lotte, it's Jasminka.

Sure, I've seen Lotte sad and angry, but I've never seen Jasminka show anything but that goofy smile and meek voice of hers.

Everyone has their bad days, sure. I just didn't know that Jasminka had them!

Ms. Finnalin lets out a weak and weary sigh at this, obviously displeased and fed up with what she sees as another 'problem student'.

"No…." She says, shaking her head with the same enthusiasm as the sigh from before. "No you cannot. You must stick with the rations provided, nothing else may be added."

"Then can I eat snacks before we leave?" Jasminka fires back almost instantly, same oblivious tone as usual.

"Whatever you eat beforehand matters little to me, so long as it doesn't inhibit your abilities during the expedition." Ms. Finnalin tells Jasminka in a matter of fact way.

"So, can I bring Takis?" The food freak asks the teacher. "When I eat them, I usually drink a gallon of water to stop the burning. Does that count as an inhibition?"

"Over usage of water can jeopardize the length of the trip and thus the profits we shall reap." Finnalin sternly tells her. "Now please, do you have any questions that don't involve food?"

Jasminka puts a chubby finger to her chin, her cheeks puffed out in deep thought.

"You said that the island used to be inhabited by people, right?" She finally asks.

"Yes, that is correct." Ms. Finnalin answers, visibly pleased by the absence of the snack question. "It's apart of Italy, and was once a pleasant and quant tourist spot. Now it is abandoned, and in a state of decay."

"So, buildings and other things are still there?" The pink haired girl follows up with.

"Yes." The aged teacher simply says, giving Jasminka a nod.

"Do you think the convenient stores are still around?" Jasminka ponders innocently. "If I find snacks there, can I eat them?"

Once again, an eye twitch or two is all the answer that I would need, but Jasminka still stares on, waiting for the answer that shall never come.

Seeing that avoiding the subject of food with Jasminka is impossible, Ms. Finnalin flashes Lotte a watchful gaze.

"You've been rather quiet, Ms. Yanson." Ms. Finnalin points out. "Don't you have any thoughts to add to this matter, or would you rather that Ms. Antonenko go to Filicudi?"

Lotte says nothing, no words coming out of her mouth, nor any expressions from her body.

She's in the same pitiful state as before, as if all her energy was just sucked out of her and an empty shell is all that remains.

I would've thought that whatever she was feeling would've passed on by now, but obviously this is not what has happened.

The same feeling from Samhain, that urge to protect and shield Lotte, to hug and comfort her, now rings through me once again.

As if by instinct, I take a step closer to the Finn, asking

"Lotte, are you-"

Suddenly, the once timid and quiet girl violently stomps her foot against the floor, balling up her hands into tight fists, and screams

"Ms. Finnalin, I demand that I take Diana's place!"

The whole room is sent into a state of shock and silence, none of us even considering this response a possibility.

The whole room is held in bated breath, myself staring at Lotte with grave concern, both fear and surprise being the primary emotions at play.

I believe I'm not alone, almost as if the whole room has frozen and all we can do is stare at the clearly troubled Lotte, not at all knowing what could've caused this or what can solve it.

With no response, Lotte repeats her harsh movements, screaming once again

"You must accept me! You just must!"

Each word, each loud and oppressive scream just pushes us even more into ourselves.

The more she shouts, the more we shudder, the more our concern and fear takes over.

It's as if we are all deer in headlights, a grave warning to the thundering terror of a loudmouth Lotte.

Still with no response, Lotte desperately turns to the food fanatic.

"Jasminka!" She cries out. "Please let me go! Let me go instead of you!"

Even Jasminka has discarded her happy time expressions, her head now tilted in concern, a light yet unexpected frown from her.

"Oh um….okay?" She nervously responds, also not knowing how to handle this.

Upon hearing this, Lotte now twists her head towards the old teacherfr, her orange hair flying around.

"See, Ms. Finnalin?! See?!" Lotte desperately begs the teacher, visible tears beginning to well up underneath her thick glasses. "Even Jasminka wants me to go! Please let me go!"

This continued shouting and exasperation of expressions only continue to throw all of us into a downwards spiral.

Even more now do I want to reach out to Lotte, to comfort her in any way.

However, I feel that she might be irrational at the moment, and may start yelling at me. And trust me, I don't want that.

It's a hard thing to admit, especially for me, a descendant of Rome who is supposed to hide fear and hesitation, but right now, these forbidden emotions flow through me due to multiple factors.

It may have been all the preparation that let me temporary forget my fears, but seeing Lotte displaying these fits of horror only bring them out.

To go onto a isolated and largely forgotten island which is home to many breeds of monsters in search of treasure is enough to bring anyone my age into a hyperventilation, the school being on the line not helping the situation. Diana, the most powerful and experienced student out of everyone here, not to mention my girlfriend, has been taken out of the picture, her sickness, while getting better, only providing me with more worry. And now, it seems as though she just might get replaced by Lotte, a normally quiet and gentle girl, not at all used to combat.

It appears that everything can go wrong has gone wrong, and on the island there will be no Ms. Holbrooke or Finnalin, no Faralda to help.

On the island, it will just be myself that can hold the team together, and I can only hope that I'm ready for that task, especially with my newfound disdain for Akko.

I'm just not sure if I could work with her at the moment.

Ms. Finnalin continues to stare at Lotte, eyebrows raised in a mix of concern and slight confusion.

However, this teacher has lived a long time and thus can easily identify the unrelenting fire in someone's eyes, the energy and vigor that can be used.

The aged teacher reverts back to her usual stoic self, her eyes hardened to face the flames.

"Well then…" She says, catching the attention of a red faced Lotte. "I think it's decided then."

Hearing this, the Finn flips around to the teacher, her eyes begging with a ting of desire at her words.

Even now, I still don't know what terrifies me the most, a disgruntled Diana or a loudmouth Lotte.

"Ms. Holbrooke, you've refrained from commenting thus far. Are you in agreeance with Lotte joining?" Ms. Finnalin asks the principal.

It's true.

Since this whole decision process began, Ms. Holbrooke has largely decided to keep out of the conversation, instead allowing Ms. Finnalin to intervene when need be.

However, it seems now that things have spiraled out of control too far, and that the highest power in this school now needs to intervene, all to handle Lotte.

The principal takes a heavy gulp, clearly inexperienced with the young witch's intensive stare.

"O-of course."

* * *

With my earlier thoughts still buzzing in my head, I make my way down the many hallways.

After what just transpired in the principal's office, I can say with certainty that many thoughts and feelings are buzzing around wildly in my head, some that clash with others.

Worry is one of the dominant.

The main cause of this worry clearly comes from the way that Lotte presented herself in front of us.

No matter the reason, no matter the cause or concern, a teary eyed and distraught Lotte is enough to make me shed away any problems of mine and devote myself to her's. After all we've been through, from normal life at school to helping her reconcile with her dead dad, I've grown too fond of her to allow this level of discomfort to reach her.

I so desperately wish to seek her out, attempt to help her through her struggles just as I did during the parade. However, if I know her, then I know how she handles her intense emotional outbursts.

After her explosion, she draws within herself, lashing out at whoever comes close enough to question her state. Time, not words, will have her come out of her shell. I learned from Sucy that it was at that time that I entered her room, the time when she was willing to talk to close friends only, was such moment.

It pains me to even think this, but all I can do now is wait, wait while Lotte suffers alone, and hope that by tomorrow, she has calmed down enough to be talkable.

The compassionate nature that I have for Lotte might not be new, but this alternative form of worry is.

Not the worry that I have for her present state, but for the whole island fiasco in the first place.

Sure, Akko the incompetent was apart of the team, but Diana was there to balance it out.

Now that she's gone, Lotte has replaced her in her role of seeking treasure in a hostile environment full of monster. I don't care what the principle says, monsters are monsters.

If anything were to happen to Lotte, I don't know what I would do.

And even if I know that my natural talent is supreme to most, it still won't be enough to look after both Akko and Lotte, and that's saying nothing about the two pilots and tour guide!

That is why I walk these halls, heading towards Faralda's classroom.

As the teacher in all manner of destruction magic, if anyone can prepare myself for fighting monsters, it would definitely be her.

I raise my fist to the wooden door, ready to knock.

Without warning, I hear the sound of a male screaming from the other side of the door followed by the noise of a heavy metal guitar and other instruments.

What gets me the most is that it's not a pain or terror filled scream, but entirely voluntary and lacking of any real emotion or upset.

The music continues, as another scream from the same person breaks the once empty silence, followed by two more of similar characteristics.

Suddenly, the screaming man begins to sing, guitars being used to great effect,

"I believe them bones are me!

Some say we're born into the grave!

I feel so alone!

Gonna end up a big ole pile of them bones!"

Just what the hell is going on in her room?!

Is something wrong?! Is she being attacked?! Could it be that the townspeople have finally had enough of us magic uses, and decided to revolt, taking out the teachers first?!

"Faralda!" I yell at the door, my pouding only growing louder as I continue to be ignored. "Faralda!"

Challenging even that of the screaming man from before, I hear a very irate Faralda yell in a childlike manner

"Ms. Finnalin, you said I could play my music as loud as I want until ten PM! That was the deal!"

What?

So all that screaming just came from music? Just what kind of music could Faralda be listening to?

"Faralda, it's me!" I cry, pounding on her door. "Theodore!"

I push my ear against the cold door, listening to whatever sounds might come.

Soon after my announcement, I hear the music come to an abrupt stop, cutting off the singing man from the rest of his song.

With the sounds of footsteps drawing near, I remove my ear, backing up from the door.

A few clicks from the door locks later, and the door swings open.

"Sorry about that." Faralda says, regaining her usual calm and collected self. "I thought you were Finnalin for a second. She's always coming by, telling me my music is too loud, that I left my Whiskey in the girl's bathroom again, or some other annoying tic."

The teacher puts on a sort of pouting face at the memories of this, ceasing her monologue.

I take this opportunity to ask

"Can I come in?"

The sound of my voice snaps her out of whatever thoughts were there, as she returns to her usual self, saying

"Sure, go ahead. I was just listening to a little 'Alice In Chains' to occupy myself."

And with that, she swings the door wider, allowing myself to enter.

As I set foot into her classroom, she makes her way back to her desk, taking a seat with her feet comfortably propped on the desk.

Once I close the door, I move towards the front of her desk.

"So anyway, how've you been?" She asks me.

"I've been fine." I tell her. "Most of my time nowadays have been taken up with training for this island expedition. How about you?"

"Oh, I've been pretty chill." She tells me, her feet swaying back in forth on her desk as she does.

Chill?

Now I know that I'm not the best at this whole English thing, but I'm pretty sure 'chill' is used for temperature, not emotion.

She might be referring to the outside air as it's still Winter.

"Is that good?" I ask her.

"It's tight." She responds.

Tight?

Yet again my English skills are put to the test.

"Is that good?" I ask once again.

"It's on point." She says, once again hurting my pride in my Anglophone knowledge.

I thought I knew this language, but now it seems that there is a whole plethora of words and sayings that are completely unknown to me.

It's like I'm a child again, getting English lessons from my family.

I can feel a slight pink crawl up my face as I recount those days, those days of constantly being wrong, endless mountains of English words written on flashcards and much money spent on internet language educational sites, much to my grandpa's displeasure.

"Is _that_ good?" I once again ask, this time a slight amount of annoyance and desperation in my voice.

Now feeling a bit annoyed herself, Faralda removes her feet from the desk, sitting up straight before saying

"It's off the chain, Ted."

Enough of this embarrassment!

"Just tell me! Are you okay?!" I plead with her, wanting to change to a different subject.

She lets out a muffled chuckle at my reaction, a thin smile on her face.

She rests her chin on one hand, simply saying

"Yeah."

With that, she leans back in her chair, returning her feet to their spot on the desk.

"So, Lotte really went out of character there, didn't she?" Faralda ponders, referring to the incident in Holbrooke's office.

She did.

It seemed the whole time there Lotte was only experiencing great amounts of stress and other nasty feelings, as if some horrible memories have begun to resurface and is now drowning her.

I bite my lip as these new thoughts begin to take hold of me.

Lotte is a great friend, and much like Diana, I care for her and her feelings. When she is upset, I'm upset, whatever pain she feels, I feel, and try in my greatest power to end it.

Although the last time Lotte came to these extreme emotions, when the subject of her dad and his temporary resurrection were brought up, I was there to help, mainly because I knew what caused these emotions and was apart of them.

But now, it seems as though I'm playing second fiddle.

Whatever she's feeling, I don't know the root cause of it, and would very much like to.

While asking her today would be out of the question, both being that it's too late and that Lotte is probably still in her asocial state and just wants to be left alone, tomorrow I have the opportunity.

Even if I can't find time beforehand, the plane ride will provide an excellent chance to ask.

Who knows, it's a long shot, but maybe I can even get her out of such a state before we even land on the island.

With monsters everywhere, a clear mind would definitely be valuable.

"Well, I see you're interested, but I don't really want to get into that stuff." Faralda tells me, stretching her neck as she does so. "You get too involved in other people's drama, it only gets hard to manage your own."

I have to admit, that's surprisingly good advice coming from her.

Honestly though, I believe a good portion of this vacation so far has been worrying about others' drama. Whether it was something minor like Romana not liking Diana, or now Lotte's mood, it's always been there.

I frown at this sudden epiphany.

"Recently, this whole Christmas Break has been nothing but…." I stop myself in an instant as the memory of newly formed relationship that Diana and I now share flash through my mind.

"Recently, most of this Christmas Break has been nothing but pain." I correct myself, trying to make my new blush as discreet as can be. "We learn that the school is at risk of financial collapse, Diana gets sick, and now something's wrong with Lotte."

I sigh as the face of one that I hold accountable for these recent actions manifests herself in my mind.

"I don't know what to think, but it seems like alot of this is Akko's fault…"

Faralda snorts at this, leaning deeper into her chain while exclaiming

"I still find it hard to believe that Akko purposely attacked Diana. She's normally such a bubbly and rather annoyingly happy girl who may be quick to anger, but violence is most certainly out of the question with her."

"You talk as if you two are friends." I point out, a bit confused by that.

Although not even close to unheard of, normally teachers don't form friendships with students, especially continually sticking up for them amidst an allegation.

"Well, I guess in a way we kind of are, although I think she thinks it more than I." The teacher admits. "She comes by my room often, wanting me to teach and tutor her in destruction magic. While I can say with certainty that she's mostly garbage in the art, she definitely has enough dedication to make up for it. That girl has a lot of fire in here, although I think one day she might overheat…"

Faralda trails off, as if contemplating what was just said.

She lets out another single chuckle, coming back with

"Yeah, I guess we are sort of friends. We even have the same favorite band."

"What's that?" I ask her.

"Family Force Five." She answers. "Even though she shared with me her little fangirl crush on Solomon Olds, I prefer the taco over the sausage myself."

Taco over the sausage? Just what does that mean?

Yet another English phrase that has completely gone over my head.

"I would say my favorite song from them is X-Girlfriend." She continues, not at all explaining her previous statement. "It sort of reminds me of a teacher friend of mine, although we never reached such a status. The line 'A busy signal is all I ever hear, we used to talk a lot but now she's seemed to disappear' runs around in my head at this time... "

She trails off, as a frown spreads across her face, herself holding that pose for several seconds.

"I like other songs." She says, reaching into her satchel. "Mother by Danzig, Shout At The Devil by Motley Crue, Still Of The Night by Whitesnake, Heart Shaped Box by Nirvana, Welcome To The Jungle by Guns N' Roses, classic rock, songs like that."

"So...you're a metalhead?" I ask her, hoping that's the proper English word.

"Pretty much." She mutters, pulling out a small rectangular red package. "Although occasionally I like to dabble in other types of music."

She flips the box upside down, striking the top of it with her palm several times as she continues.

"Whenever the mood strikes me, I listen to songs on Kat Country 103. But when I listen to my regular jam, I tune into 104.1 The Hawk. It's a cumulus station, the family's classic rock."

Once this small ritual is done, she opens the package up, pulling out a small white cylinder.

Only when she puts the thing in her lips, do I know full well what it is.

"Is that a cigarette?" I ask her, narrowing my eyebrows in confusion.

I didn't take her as a smoker.

She seems too athletic to be one.

"Sure is." She mutters, the cigarette bouncing between her teeth as she does.

In one fluid motion, she whips her wand out, bringing it to the edge of the cigarette.

After muttering some spell, a small flame erupts from the wand, effectively lighting the cigarette.

Done with the thing, she slides the wand back, grabbing hold of the cigarette, sucking on it, the red hot tip growing even more red as she does so.

"Damn, that's a nice drag." She mutters, blowing out a puff of smoke.

First Amanda and now Faralda?

Why is everyone in this school either bubbly, haughty, quiet and withdrawn, or completely rebellious?

While staring at the thing in her mouth, I ask

"Can you smoke inside the school?"

While this is a magic school with rules far from the typical, I'm pretty sure smoking is still a no go zone.

"It's my classroom." She defensively says, taking another puff, proving her independence. "Either way, fire and smoke are thrown around in this place daily. This'll make no difference."

That's rather strange logic.

"You know, Amanda gave me a few of her Kools to experiment with…" Faralda mentions. "But I just couldn't handle them, too much menthol."

She takes another pleasureful puff, cooly blowing off a few smoke rings.

"But these!" She exclaims, holding out her cigarette for all who care to see. "Marlboro Reds, a real man's cigarette! I won't even touch a Virginia Slim, no thank you! And Misty? That brand's out of the question."

Misty, Marlboro Reds, Kools, not to mention all the rock music that she's spoken about, isn't at all what I came here for.

Not at all.

Faralda is an interesting character to say the least, but with the expedition beginning tomorrow, time is too precious to waste on small talk.

I cross my arms at this, bluntly saying

"I didn't come here to talk music or cigarettes."

She snorts at this, remarking

"If you did, I would be both happy and surprised."

Faralda crosses her legs together, still on the desk, asking

"So then, why did you come here?"

"I want you to train me in preparation for the expedition." I simply say, arms still crossed.

"I see." Faralda ponders, putting a hand to her chin. "Since Diana is now out for the count, you were hoping to get some tips and tricks from me, correct?"

"You're the best in destruction magic in the whole school, even better than Diana it seems." I admit while dropping my arms, a bit relieved that Diana wasn't present to hear that. "You're right, I want you to train me. I need to compensate now that Diana is gone and Lotte is the replacement."

Don't get me wrong, I know that Lotte can be strong at times in her own ways.

I just don't think fighting is one of those ways.

"That makes sense." Faralda tells me, taking another drag of her cigarette. "Akko and Lotte aren't exactly the poster girls when it comes to fighting monsters."

With this thought in mind, Faralda snuffs out her cigarette on the aluminum lid of an empty rockstar energy drink before casually tossing the butt into the paper filled trash can.

Leaning forward, she pops her back, taking several more stretches, before standing up.

"Alright, let's get down to business." She tells me, moving towards the radio on the corner of her desk.

She puts a hand on one of the knobs, fiddling around with it before asking me

"So, what tasty lick is gonna satisfy that sweet urge today?"

"What was that?" I ask her, confused once again by her manner of speaking. "What did you just call me?"

"What song do you want to play?" She corrects, chuckling at my confusion all the while. "Your pick."

Although music during a duel may be distracting, it just might serve to invigorate me for my opponent.

And if I'm having a duel with Faralda, I'm going to need all the help I can get.

I put hand to my chin, before remembering an old song that my grandfather used to play at times.

"How about Tu Vuò Fà L'americano?" I suggest.

"The Hell's that?" Faralda asks me, twisting her head around at me in confusion. "No, no, no. That sounds too gay, even for me."

She turns back to the radio, saying

"You've lost your choosing privileges. I'm putting on 'Rock You Like A Hurricane' by Scorpions."

Although I open my mouth to protest her insult of an Italian song, I quickly shut it before any sounds can escape.

The song overall matters little to the practice. As long as I have the chance to be trained by her, really I don't care what song she plays.

After the song begins, the proceedings of any other duel take place.

The two of us move to separate corners of the room, the chimes of the burn temperature machines picking up on us.

In our current resting states,I note that Faralda's burn temperature reads 2000 while mine is at 650.

This disparity in readings really makes me think.

During a solitary training session, only a day before the Diana duel with Akko, I clocked in my maximum reading at 1200. While high, even my maximum isn't even close to Faralda's resting state.

I can only wonder just what she's capable of when she gets serious.

Once the distance between us has reached its greatest height, Faralda and I turn to face each other, a wand in each of our hands.

"Fire at me whenever you want with whatever you got." She tells me, spreading herself out into a combat stance.

With these words of antagonization, I follow her lead, taking a combat position.

"Hey Ted, guess what." Faralda requests, the corners of her lips trembling with suppressed emotions.

It's not unusual to see Faralda in a positive mood, however I must analyze my situation at hand.

I'm in her classroom, I'm about to duel her, and she's smirking at me.

It doesn't take a genius like me to know that something is wrong, at least for me. Faralda on the other hand looks like she's having a field day!

"W-what?" I stutter, knowing full well what's about to come but unaware just how it will.

"I'm about to rock you…" She mutters, pointing her already glowing wand at me, her tense mouth now turning into a confident smirk. "Like a hurricane…"

What does that mean?

* * *

 **Author's Note: Well, I think we all predicted that Lotte was going to go, but who knew Faralda was such a badass?**

 **Some of you might be wondering what's up with that reading of 'An Unexpected Guest' that was supposed to be uploaded. It's currently a work in progress. Most of the lines that I need are done, but a few more need to happen before I can start to edit it. It will come, I swear!**

 **If you boys and girls want more sweet chapters, don't forget to follow, fav, and review. Give them to, daddy.**

 **Also I noticed that I now have 91 followers, which is quite a lot. I honestly never really expected to get past 50 and it feels like we hit 50 only a few chapters ago. Again, I never expected to get this amount, especially since my fanfic openly goes against the most popular ship, I guess I just never really expected is many people to be interested. I definitely didn't think that this many people would be interested when I started this story more than two years ago.**

 **But even with my own doubts, we have reached 91 followers. And while yes I do owe all of you three Diakko stories, Nightcore now revising his, I want to do something special when we reach 100 followers, something past just another Diakko.**

 **As some of you already know, I have a Youtube account which goes by the same name as this account, 'RomanViking'. And if you actively read these notes, then you should also know that I have The Chamber of Time, but have never really played much of it.**

 **That's right, at 100 followers, your boy shall play The Chamber of Time, a game that has gotten some very mixed reviews...**

 **And while I may be a few months late to that party, and yes the average Chamber of Time let's play episode only gets a few views, I think we can make something of it!**


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